NELSON (Nelson) Horatio ( Nelson Horatio; September 29, 1758, Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk - October 21, 1805, at Cape Trafalgar, Atlantic Ocean), Viscount (1801), Viscount from 1801, English naval commander, vice-admiral (1801); supporter of maneuverable tactics and decisive actions.
British Navy Captain
Born into the family of a parish priest. After several years of school, in 1771 he entered the ship of his uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling, a hero of the Seven Years' War, as a cabin boy, then sailed on merchant and military ships to the West and East Indies, and participated in the polar expedition (1773). Having brilliantly passed the exam for the rank of lieutenant (1777) and performed well in the war with the North American colonists, Nelson soon became captain of a brig (1778) and then a frigate (1779). In 1780, while participating in an operation on the San Juan River in Honduras (now the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica), he almost died from severe dysentery.
In 1784-1787 Nelson served in the West Indies, where he married the widow Fanny Nisbet, niece of an Antillean planter (1787). Waging a stubborn fight against smuggling, he more than once came into conflict with his superiors, demanding from them strict compliance with the laws. Having thus made many enemies among Admiralty officials, upon his return to England he was actually excommunicated from the fleet and, living in the village, waited for a new appointment for five whole years.
Only with the outbreak of the war against France (1793) Nelson received the position of captain of a battleship as part of the Mediterranean squadron. In 1793, he took an active part in the hostilities near Toulon, in 1794 he commanded a landing party in Corsica, losing his right eye during the siege of the Calvi fortress, and on July 13, 1795, he distinguished himself in a naval battle, forcing the surrender of a French ship, which was much more powerful than his own.
National hero
The glory of a national hero came to Nelson after the battle on February 14, 1797 at Cape St. Vincent (the extreme southwestern tip of Portugal). On his own initiative, he took his ship out of the squadron's line formation and carried out a maneuver that was decisive for the defeat of the Spanish fleet. Two of the four Spanish ships captured by the British were boarded under the personal command of Nelson, who received the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Bath and the rank of rear admiral for this battle.
In July 1797, during an unsuccessful attempt to capture the port of Santa Cruz (Tenerife Island), Nelson lost his right arm. In May 1798, a storm that scattered his squadron did not allow the Egyptian expedition of Napoleon Bonaparte to be prevented from sailing from Toulon. Having set off in pursuit, Nelson discovered the enemy fleet in the Gulf of Abukir (the mouth of the Nile). Here he successfully applied the advanced tactics of naval combat for that time, which consisted in the desire to attack part of the enemy ships with superior forces, and then fall on the rest and destroy them. On August 1, at sunset, he threw 10 battleships against 13 French, anchored under the cover of coastal artillery, and in a battle that lasted all night, he captured and destroyed 11 of them, without losing a single one of his own. Bonaparte's army, blocked in Egypt, was doomed. As a reward, George III of England made Nelson a peer Baron of Neil and Burnham-Thorpe
In Naples, where Nelson brought the ships for repairs after Abukir, his famous affair with the wife of the English ambassador, Lady Emma Hamilton, began, which lasted until the death of the admiral and was subsequently repeatedly described in fiction. In 1799, Nelson assisted King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon of the Two Sicilies in suppressing the Neapolitan Revolution, receiving the title Duke of Bronte in gratitude.
Upon returning to England, Nelson was promoted to vice admiral (1801) and appointed to the post of second flagship of the Baltic squadron, heading against the powers of “armed neutrality”. On April 2, 1801, he burned the Danish fleet in Copenhagen harbor; For this victory Nelson received the title of Viscount. In 1803, after the resumption of war with France, Nelson led the British Mediterranean squadron. For two years he chased the enemy, who was avoiding a general battle.
Only on October 21, 1805, at Cape Trafalgar (south of Cadiz) did he meet with the combined forces of the Spanish-French fleet and, again abandoning outdated linear tactics, completely defeated them. In this battle Nelson was mortally wounded. His body was taken to London and on January 9, 1806 it was solemnly buried in St. Paul's Cathedral. Forty years later, Nelson's dispatches and letters came out of print ("Dispatches and Letters of Vice-Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson", 1845), and relatively recently, his last diary ("Nelson's Last Diary", 1971).
WHAT BRITISH ADMIRAL HORATIO NELSON ACTED
Naval battles can be seen as a tool for gaining or maintaining global dominance over the world. Throughout the last five hundred years, it is the country that has the greatest maritime power, that controls the sea trade routes, that actually controls the rest of the world. Admiral Nelson, with his victories at sea, contributed to the strengthening of England. From then on, Great Britain had a free hand in the World Ocean; the island became the center of the world empire, the navel of the earth. Subsequently, this advantage led to the manifold strengthening of England as a major financial power. This, coupled with Britain's leadership in economic development, achieved through the Industrial Revolution and the actions of the British ruling elite, led to the formation of the so-called Pax Britannica, by analogy with the Pax Romana - a world in which the will of London was the predominant factor in international relations and which lasted until before World War II.
What kind of a man was Horatio Nelson, who was born on September 29, 1758 and became not only the greatest, but also the last English hero of naval battles. At the age of twelve he had already served as a midshipman on a battleship and, under the command of his uncle, departed for the West Indies. In 1803-1805 he was the commander of a squadron in the Mediterranean, operating against France and Spain. In September 1805, Nelson's squadron blocked the Franco-Spanish fleet in Cadiz, and on October 21 defeated it in the naval battle of Trafalgar, in which Nelson was mortally wounded. He was buried in London on January 9, 1806.
In his youth, in the middle of the ocean, Nelson had a vision that illuminated his whole life and, of course, subdued him. He once saw a shining halo, irresistibly attracting him to himself. At that moment, as he later told his officers, “a sudden ardent love for England and faith in the powerful protection of the king and homeland flared up in him.” This consciousness inspired Nelson so much that he cried out: “Yes, I will become a hero, despite all the dangers, I know that I am under the protection of Providence!” Believing the vision and committing himself to God's will, Nelson at the age of 24 becomes the captain of a frigate.
The distinguishing feature of a man of genius lies largely in his refined and almost morbid impressionability. The savage is insensitive to physical suffering, his passions are few, and only those sensations that directly concern him in the sense of satisfying the needs of life are perceived. As mental abilities develop, impressionability grows and reaches its greatest strength in brilliant individuals, being the source of their suffering and glory. These chosen natures are more sensitive than mere mortals, and the impressions they perceive are distinguished by their depth, remain in memory for a long time and are combined in various ways.
Nelson didn't seem like a sea wolf at all. Among naval officers, with his 165 cm height and 66 kg weight, he seemed like an overgrown high school student. This seemingly weak physique was combined in him with increased excitability, chronic insomnia, intermittent fever and, what is absolutely ridiculous for the captain, susceptibility to seasickness, from which he suffered most of his life.
But when it came to fighting, this seemingly weak man turned into a desperate fighter, into a true example of courage and bravery. In general, he had no luck on land. In 1797, in the battle of Santa Cruz (Tenerife), he lost his right arm. Two days after the defeat at Santa Cruz, with his left hand he unusually scribbled a mournful letter to Admiral St. Vincent: “I have become a burden to my friends and have become useless to my country. When I leave your squadron, I will die to the whole world. I hope you will give me a frigate that will bring what is left of me to England." Arriving two weeks later at the location of St. Vincent's squadron, Nelson again turns to his superior: “They will never consider a one-armed admiral useful again. Therefore, the sooner I take refuge in a secluded cottage, the better. By doing so, I will make room for a more worthy person who will serve the country." In 1794, he took part in the assault on the Calvi fortress on the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. A cannonball fired from the fortress pierced the stone fence, and small fragments of stone splashed into Nelson’s face. The right eye lost the ability to see forever. Like all highly emotional people, Nelson fell into extreme pessimism after each failure. This time he had serious reasons for despondency: a serious injury, which called into question his suitability for naval service, which he loved more than anything else.
The main reason for melancholy and dissatisfaction with the life of selected natures is the law of dynamism and balance, which also governs the nervous system. The law according to which, following an excessive expenditure or development of strength, there is an excessive decline of the same strength, a law in consequence of which not a single miserable mortal can show a certain strength without paying for it in another respect, and is very cruel. Melancholy, despondency, shyness, selfishness - this is a cruel retribution for the highest mental talents that they waste. In the whole world there is not at least one great person who, even in moments of complete bliss, would not consider himself, without any reason, unhappy and persecuted, or at least temporarily suffer from painful attacks of melancholy. Sometimes sensitivity becomes distorted and becomes one-sided, focusing on one point. Several ideas of a certain order and some especially favorite sensations little by little acquire the significance of the main specific stimulus acting on the brain of great people and even on their entire body.
In the portraits, Nelson is depicted densely hung with heavy orders, in an embroidered gold uniform with an intelligent, lively, intent gaze. The portraits, however, embellished the original. Nelson was short and thin. When he smiled or spoke, you could notice that he had bad teeth. The naval commander could not boast of good health, and in the last years of his life he even became somewhat emaciated. According to contemporaries, Nelson is “a small, distorted figure, with restless movements and a shrill voice.” The motionless right eye and the empty right sleeve, bent and fastened under the chest, made a painful impression on those who saw him for the first time.
British researchers have found that the great naval commander Admiral Nelson, contrary to the Hollywood image, never wore a black armband. Evidence of this is reportedly contained in a previously unknown letter that Nelson addressed to his friend. The admiral writes that his superiors refused to provide him with benefits for loss of vision because the lord's blind eye looked the same as his healthy one. According to scientists, actor Laurence Olivier is partly to blame for creating the myth. While playing the admiral in the film Lady Hamilton, he always wore a black armband. According to the actor and the filmmakers, Lord Nelson looked especially courageous in this form. Contemporaries note that Nelson always wore a uniform with all the awards, without changing it to a civilian suit, even at home. They explain this by the admiral’s ambition and vanity. Indeed, these weaknesses were fully inherent in him. But there is another, simple human explanation why Nelson did not part with his uniform and orders. Next to his fellow captains, he looked insignificant. It was this insignificance that the numerous stars and the admiral’s uniform, in which the frail sailor was dressed, in the words of one author, “fragile like an autumn leaf,” were supposed to eliminate.
NELSON TREATED PEOPLE HUMANLY
The ships were unbearably crowded. The large ship had a crew of over 700 people: and everyone who was not part of the officers was mercilessly driven into some kind of kennels. The breath in the hold was stifling from a nightmarish mixture of the smells of sweat, dirty clothes and the effects of the ship's cooking. More than half of the crews were forcibly mobilized, others were sentenced by the court to serve in the navy, some were sent to the fleet by communities, wanting to quickly get rid of beggars and criminals. The salary was meager and was supplemented only by a set share of the spoils when enemy ships or warehouses were captured. Much more regularly than their salaries, the sailors received severe beatings, which testified to the aggressiveness and sadism of many officers. The slightest disobedience entailed barbaric punishment. A whip of nine tails made of hippopotamus skin, striping the bare back, was as much a part of everyday life as the ebb and flow of the tide. If the whip removed the meat to the bones, if the sailor was beaten to death, this did not cause much concern. On top of that, the food on most ships was disgusting. Primitive methods of canning led to spoilage of food that contained worms. But there was simply nothing else. Shore leave was avoided at all costs for fear of desertion. But Nelson, from these renegades, criminals, antisocial elements and forced recruits, created excellent courageous and courageous naval warriors, the best that England has ever had.
Nelson treated his men kindly and respectfully and never punished them unless absolutely necessary. But even in these cases he acted with obvious reluctance. He knew how to awaken pride in these uncouth, degraded, despised people. They were proud of their discipline, combat effectiveness, and above all, of course, their invincibility. Nelson instilled in these men an unshakable sense of moral duty, a desire to never leave their admiral in trouble. Nelson cultivated the belief among commanders and sailors that the outcome of the battle depended on the courage, combativeness and determination of each of them. He gave everyone the opportunity to realize the importance of their personal contribution to the common cause and their responsibility for it. This happened at a time when the life of a simple sailor was not worth a penny. He was one of the few commanders-in-chief who were always ready to accept the critical comments expressed by the sailors, to empathize with their needs, as long as all the complaints were stated in writing. He always encouraged this method, since he was deeply convinced that no one would take up a pen unless absolutely necessary.
He did not consider them as something inferior and constantly emphasized that he was happy to lead the “brotherhood”. He considered his captains and officers not as executors of orders, but as his comrades, honored them with trust, discussed them, initiated them into his plans and transferred to them part of his power and responsibility. Nelson encouraged them to develop their own personality as much as possible, which led to their desire to constantly improve and strive to surpass themselves. Nelson did not order the newcomer to the top of the mast, but challenged him to a competition. This meant that the young man had to overcome himself, conquer his fear, and gain faith in himself. Nelson realized early on that the secret of the highest achievements does not lie in the authority of the commander, but in the personal development of all participants in the matter. Therefore, for him, first of all, it was important to encourage the individual, to demand individuality.
Major naval battles, roughly speaking, took place like this. Both fleets lined up in the wake, i.e. one after another, keeping a respectful distance from each other, turning their sides one to the other, and the cannonade began. When the gunpowder smoke cleared, one's own and others' losses were assessed and the firing was resumed. This continued until the ammunition was exhausted or the ship was sunk. Close combat, combat between ships, culminating in boarding, arose more by chance than as part of a tactical plan for capture. Nelson introduced his new strategy: instead of a wake column, the negative quality of which was the vulnerability of ships from the side, Nelson built his fleet in two rows and sent it directly against the enemy fleet. Instead of attacking the first enemy ship they encountered, each of the ships in service had to engage a specific enemy ship, shoot it, approach it, capture it, or destroy it. Each commander was responsible for the victory over a specific enemy ship, had the right and was obliged to give the necessary orders. In the same way, each team member was responsible for the “common victory” or “common defeat”.
Instead of the often meaningless, scattered or impossible admiral's orders, which were difficult to accept in the smoke of gunpowder, the captain and sailors received precise knowledge of what needed to be done, which depended on their own efforts and fighting spirit. The outcome of the battle depended not on the accidents of an artillery duel and subsequent chaotic collisions of dilapidated ships, but primarily on the ability to maneuver, shooting accuracy and one’s own courage in capturing an enemy ship. Enemy ship captains unfamiliar with these tactics invariably lost the battle. Nelson did not give detailed orders before the battle, nor did he prescribe a specific line of behavior for his captains. He revealed his plans to them, explained tactics and entrusted them with preparing his crews for the upcoming tests. Extras have turned into sailors who determine their own destiny. Everyone knew why and what they were fighting for. If the French gunners fired one shot every three minutes, then the British did the same in a minute.
Due to the exaggerated and concentrated sensitivity of both great people and madmen, it is extremely difficult to convince or dissuade of anything. And this is understandable. The source of true and false ideas lies deeper and more developed among them than among ordinary people, for whom opinions are only a conditional form. In a similar way, it is explained why great geniuses sometimes cannot grasp concepts that are accessible to the most ordinary minds, and at the same time express such bold ideas that seem absurd to most. The fact is that greater impressionability also corresponds to greater limited thinking. The mind, under the influence of ecstasy, does not perceive positions that are too simple and easy, which do not correspond to its powerful energy. A genius has the ability to guess what he does not fully know.
Long before Nelson, many decades before the events described, the English fleet adopted far from rational tactics, which later became an immutable law. Admiralty combat instructions required admirals to position their ships during battle parallel to the line of enemy ships. It turned out to be a duel between two ships, the general battle breaking up into isolated battles of individual ships. The first to break the ridiculous tradition was the Russian admiral F.F. Ushakov. There were admirals in England before Nelson who understood the absurdity of linear tactics. In 1756, for example, Admiral Byng tried to change it, but failed in battle and was executed for self-will. Nelson completely rejected these tactics and, since he was successful, achieved great fame.
The French admirals understood this. They were especially skeptical about the state of the allied Spanish fleet. Admiral Decreux told Napoleon: “I believe in the real strength of Your Majesty’s ships and have the same confidence in those ships of Gravina that were already at sea. But as for the other Spanish ships that will leave the port for the first time under the command of inexperienced captains, then I don’t know what they can do.” Having moved the Boulogne army east, against Kutuzov, Napoleon decided that the French fleet should not hang around near the strait between France and England. He needs to conduct operations off the coast of Spain and in the Strait of Gibraltar. Admiral Villeneuve was given the order to take food for six months, head from Cadiz through Gibraltar to the Mediterranean Sea, to Cartagena, and connect with the eight battleships located there. Simultaneously with the new operational directive, Admiral Villeneuve received the following letter from Admiral Decret from Paris: “The main intention of the Emperor is to find in the ranks, in whatever ranks, the officers most capable of high command. But what is he looking for first of all? It is this noble love of glory, competition for honors, decisive character and boundless courage. His Majesty wants to destroy this timid caution, this defensive system, which deadens our courage and doubles the enterprise of the enemy. The Emperor wants to see this courage in all his admirals, captains, officers and sailors, and, whatever may be its consequences, he promises his attention and favors to all those who will carry it to the highest degree."
LAST STAND
The combat meeting of the two squadrons took place at Cape Trafalgar, which is south of Cadiz and slightly north of Gibraltar. The Allies had 33 battleships in Cadiz - 18 French and 15 Spanish. They had at their disposal 3 French frigates and 2 brigs. Nelson had 27 ships. The British were also weaker than the Allies in terms of the number of guns. The withdrawal of Franco-Spanish ships from the port dragged on for almost two days. The British watched the advance of the enemy and tried, firstly, to take a more advantageous position in terms of wind and, secondly, to position themselves so that Admiral Villeneuve would not be able to shelter his fleet in Cadiz after the battle.
Nelson drew up the first version of the battle plan back when the English squadron was chasing the French to the West Indies. Nelson constantly worked out and discussed a possible battle pattern. The final version of the plan was formulated on board the Victory on October 9 near Cadiz. Nelson decided to divide his squadron into two detachments. A large detachment of ships was to be commanded by the second flagship, Admiral Collingwood. He was supposed to crash into the enemy line, tearing it apart. Then Nelson's detachment was to enter the action, which was to finish the battle victoriously. The combat order took into account many details, primarily such an important one as the wind. In addition, the British realized that much depended on chance and unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, Admiral Collingwood and the captains of the ships were given the opportunity to take the initiative. "The second commander will direct the movement of his line of ships, keeping it in as compact an order as conditions will allow. The captains must ensure that they occupy their designated place in the line. But if the commander's signals are indistinguishable and incomprehensible, the captains will not make a big mistakes by placing your ship against an enemy ship."
On October 21, 1805, the wind was weak and unstable, there was a swell, a harbinger of an imminent storm, which prevented the ships from lining up in battle lines. Therefore, the French ships formed something like a crescent, towards the central part of which Nelson’s fleet moved in two lines. The English admiral was in a hurry, but the wind (how much depended on it in naval battles in those years) ensured that ships moved at a speed of approximately five kilometers per hour. The 100-gun Royal Sovereign led Collingwood's line. The Victory, flying Nelson's flag, at the head of the second column, moved more slowly.
Already at the very beginning there was a retreat from the previously adopted plan, according to which Collingwood was to attack first. The British now attacked the enemy simultaneously in two columns, perpendicular to the line of the combined allied squadron, heading towards its center, where, according to their assumptions, Villeneuve’s ship was located. Nelson, out of habit, went on deck very early, as always, in an admiral's uniform with all the orders, but this time without a sword. Captain Blackwood, who commanded all the frigates, was called to the Victory. Nelson ordered them to take care of finishing off heavily damaged enemy ships and preserving those prize ships that would be captured. Blackwood advised the admiral to switch to a frigate for safety reasons - a faster and more maneuverable ship. Nelson disagreed. The captains advised to change clothes, because a shiny uniform and sparkling stars would definitely attract the attention of the enemy. And if the ships “fall off”, that is, they stand side by side and are connected by sails and masts, then the distance separating the French shooters from the Victory deck will become very small. But Admiral Nelson did not pay attention to this remark either. And in vain.
The final preparations for battle were underway on the ship. In the admiral's premises, the bulkheads were removed, everything that was there was removed, the gunners rolled up guns to the sides and brought charges. Nelson went down to his already transformed cabin and drew up his will. Captains Hardy and Blackwood, on the back of the bending gunner, sealed this document with their signatures so that it had legal force. “I commit,” Nelson wrote in his will, “Emma Lady Hamilton to the care of my king and country. I hope they will provide for her so that she can live in accordance with her rank. I also bequeath to the mercy of my country my adopted daughter Horatia Nelson Thompson and I wish that in the future she will be called only Nelson."
At approximately 11 o'clock Nelson walked around the batteries and thanked the officers and gunners for their good preparation for the battle. Then he gave Admiral Collingwood a signal specifying where the enemy formation was to be cut. The ships of the French and Spaniards were already very close. Inspiration... It dawned on Nelson before the decisive battles. And now, in the last minutes before the battle, he ordered a signal to be raised for the entire English squadron: “Nelson believes that everyone...”. The signalman said that there were no such words in the code. Then Nelson dictated a short text, which has since become the fighting motto of his compatriots: “England expects everyone to do their duty.” The signal caused an explosion of enthusiasm.
The first ship to break into the enemy's formation was the Royal Sovereign, which was met by hurricane gunfire. Following him, the Victory heads for the huge 130-gun ship Santissima Trinidad and the Bucentaur, where Admiral Villeneuve is located. But the wind weakens, and the Victory moves very slowly, and the French, seeing Nelson's flag, hit the ship with special zeal. It is impossible to cut through the enemy's line without collapsing with one of his ships, and the Victory "collapses" with the Redoutable. Within a few minutes, French gunners and riflemen incapacitate almost everyone on the Victory's upper deck. Of the 110 people, only 20 continue to fight. Admiral Nelson and the captain of the Victory, the powerful, broad-shouldered Hardy, remain on deck among the piles of dead and wounded. Actually, there is nothing left to lead the battle. Everyone does their job, knowing in advance the admiral's plan. The captain hears Nelson say, “The matter is too hot, Hardy, for it to go on too long.” English ships fire double charges point-blank at the embrasures of enemy ships. The losses and destruction there are even greater than those of the British. After the first salvo of "Victory" on "Bucentaur" 20 guns were destroyed and 400 people were killed.
But the French are fighting with the same fervor. The masts of the "Redoutable" are dotted with arrows and they accurately send their bullets onto the deck of the "Victory". And suddenly Hardy sees with horror: Nelson, who had just been standing next to him, falls on his left side. Bent over the wounded admiral, through the deafening noise of the battle, he hears: “They finally finished me off.” A bullet fired by a gunner from the mast of a French ship hit the epaulette, passed through the left shoulder, lung, spine and got stuck in the back muscles. The admiral was carried downstairs, where there were already a lot of wounded. He understood that this was the end. The doctor only sought to ease his death throes. But despite his suffering, Nelson continued to worry about the outcome of the battle. Every now and then he demanded Captain Hardy to come to him. But the battle continued, and only an hour after the admiral was wounded, the French wavered. At 14:00 the French commander-in-chief lowered his flag, the Bucentaur surrendered, and Admiral Villeneuve was captured. Now Hardy could go down and report to Nelson that 12 or 14 French ships had been taken.
At 16:00 Hardy congratulated the admiral on his victory. “15 ships have been captured,” he said. “That’s good,” Nelson replied, “but I was counting on twenty.” And he ordered Hardy to anchor. The admiral foresaw that a storm would soon begin and if the battered ships did not anchor, they would sink or be thrown onto the coastal rocks. Hardy, who sent a boat to Collingwood with a message about Nelson's wound, remarked: "I think, my lord, that Admiral Collingwood will now take charge of affairs." “Hopefully not while I’m still alive,” Nelson replied. So until the last minute he did not want to give up command of the squadron. Before his death, the admiral kept thinking about Emma and Horace, asking him to give them his things and locks of hair. He wanted to avoid the traditional funeral, when the sea becomes the grave of a sailor, and wanted his body to be taken home. And Hardy promised to do it.
Nelson died knowing that he had won the last battle. He selflessly fulfilled his duty, but died not with the traditional cry: “Long live the king!”, but with words of love addressed to Emma and Horace. In those minutes when Nelson's heart stopped, the 18th enemy ship surrendered to the British. The battle stopped at 17:30. The Franco-Spanish fleet suffered a crushing defeat. Only 11 enemy ships went to Cadiz, and 4 that survived on the high seas were soon captured by the British. The Battle of Trafalgar was the largest in terms of results and significance of all the battles that took place at sea during the 22 years of coalition wars against France. Hardy carried out the last wishes of his boss and friend. Admiral Nelson's body was placed in a barrel of cognac and taken to London. This did not happen right away. Victory was so damaged in the battle that she had to be hastily repaired in Gibraltar before she could reach England. Only on December 5 the ship arrived in Portsmouth. Thus ended the career of one of the most interesting and brilliant personalities in military history.
Read more: http://www.vpk-media.ru/articles/2214
Each state has heroes forever linked to their past thanks to the deeds that once covered them with unfading glory. Since the history of mankind is, first of all, the history of wars, then in the memory of people the main place is occupied by those whose names are covered with the splendor of victories. For England, Admiral Horatio Nelson became such an idol, whose brief biography formed the basis of this article.
Young from the family of a parish priest
The future famous admiral and pride of the British Royal Navy Horatio Nelson was born on September 29, 1758 in Norfolk (Great Britain) in the family of the parish priest Edmond Nelson, a kind, careful and very prolific man, who gave birth to 11 children. Despite his natural talent, Horatio did not show an inclination to study, and at the age of twelve he entered as a cabin boy on a ship where his uncle Maurice Suckling was the captain.
Under his leadership, the young man acquired his first maritime skills - he learned to read a map, became familiar with the basics of navigation and handling ship guns. He liked sea waves and sails filled with wind much more than boring, stuffy classes.
Young daredevil
In the summer of 1773, fourteen-year-old Horatio Nelson became a member of a polar expedition organized by the Royal Scientific Society. The attempt to reach the pole was unsuccessful, and covered no one with glory except its youngest participant. It was there, in the extreme latitudes, that Horatio first showed his characteristic unbridled courage, sometimes bordering on madness.
Witnesses of his wild antics later told for a long time how one day this young man, grabbing a musket in his hands, alone rushed to pursue a huge polar bear that unexpectedly appeared in the camp. It was certain death, since in the darkness of the polar night a bullet fired from such a primitive weapon could hardly hit the target. But it’s not without reason that they say that courage works wonders - the uninvited guest hastily retreated, and Horatio’s reputation as a desperate fellow was established - fame, the more desirable of which in youth there can be nothing.
First officer rank
However, in his later life there were more than enough opportunities to show off his heroism. Returning from the expedition, Nelson was assigned to the crew of the ship Seahorse and spent almost a year in the Caribbean Sea, where, near the islands of the West Indies, he participated in the fight against smugglers who attempted to conduct illegal trade on the coast of the New World.
In the summer of 1777, having passed the qualifying exams in London, Horatio Nelson adorned his shoulders with officer's epaulettes and, already with the rank of lieutenant, returned to the Caribbean islands. He arrived there as an assistant to the captain of the flagship Bristol, which was commanded at that time by the future Admiral Parker.
Debut on the captain's bridge
This appointment was the last step before his independent access to the captain's bridge. The very next year, Nelson was entrusted with command of the brig Badger, which was heading to guard the coast of Latin America. From that time on, the young captain’s life was spent in constant pursuit of smugglers, sometimes ending in bloody boarding battles.
Having shown himself to be a competent officer and a desperate fighter in this hectic field, the twenty-two-year-old captain in 1780 received command of the multi-gun frigate Hinchinbrook. Previously, only gray-haired sea wolves received such an honor.
But even after such a high appointment, Nelson remains true to himself - he mercilessly showers the enemy with cannonballs from the ship’s guns, and when he comes close, he rushes to board. During his first patrol voyage along the coast of America, his frigate captures several ships loaded with smuggled goods, and Horatio receives a record prize for that time - 800 pounds.
Sea wolf's first love
Well, how did the personal life of the brave sailor develop in those years? It can hardly be called eventful, because he spent most of his time at sea. However, his correspondence with the daughter of the chief of the military police of Quebec, where Nelson had a chance to visit on official business, has been preserved.
From the letters it is clear that the young people had the most tender feelings for each other, which, however, did not lead to a wedding. Brave in battle, Horatio gave in to the beauty and did not dare to propose to her. Perhaps, however, this was not timidity, but a manifestation of prudence.
Rejected offer
We also know about another, alas, failed novel, the hero of which was the brave Captain Nelson. Horatio, as is known from the memoirs of contemporaries, visited France in 1783 and there fell madly in love with a certain Mademoiselle Andrews - an attractive, rich, but incredibly wayward girl.
This time the hero decided to propose, but the young extravagant woman refused him only on the grounds that he was English, and it was not fitting for her, as a true patriot, to marry one of France’s constant enemies. However, evil tongues claimed that the real reason for the refusal was a more advantageous offer received by the beauty shortly before.
Drunken priest
Returning to his homeland, Horatio Nelson received command of the frigate Borey and continued patrolling the coast of the West Indies. Here he found himself in a rather awkward position. The fact is that one of his siblings, William, following in his father’s footsteps, took holy orders and certainly intended to become a ship’s chaplain on the ship commanded by Horatio.
Knowing the wild and unbridled morals of his sailors, Nelson tried his best to dissuade him from this idea, but in the end he reconciled and enrolled his brother in his crew. It ended very sadly. Finding himself among notorious atheists who mocked everything that he had worshiped since childhood, William began to drink, quickly sank, and had to be urgently sent home to England. For Horatio this was a strong blow.
However, he soon found solace in the arms of the young beauty Jane Moutray, the wife of the representative of the British Admiralty on the island of Antigua. But unfortunately, less than a month had passed, the official was urgently recalled to England, and Nelson’s short happiness sailed away with him forever.
Continuation of service and long-awaited marriage
By this time, the United States of America had won independence from England and ceased to be considered its colony. At the same time, the rules of international trade have changed. Now the Americans had lost the right to carry out their commercial operations in the West Indian islands, since they were still under the protectorate of England, and the patrol frigate commanded by Nelson had more work to do.
Finally, in 1787, a long-awaited event occurred in the life of the battle captain - Horatio Nelson got married. His chosen one was the young widow Frances Nisbet, who already had a son from her first marriage. She was a charming woman, who was simply called Fani in her home circle. Soon the happy couple left the West Indies and returned to England.
Battle wounds
When the war with France began in 1793, Nelson, as captain of the battleship of Admiral Samuel Hood's squadron, participated in naval battles in the Mediterranean Sea, where he covered himself with glory that has not faded in the memory of his compatriots to this day. There, as a result of a serious wound received during one of the combat operations, he lost his right hand.
At the same time, attention should be paid to the fallacy of the popular belief that Admiral Horatio Nelson - he received this title shortly after the events described - wore a bandage covering his eye, which was knocked out in battle. He actually received such a wound once, but the doctors managed to save his vision, although not to the same extent.
The pinnacle of glory and death of the famous admiral
The peak of his fame came during the Napoleonic Wars. Admiral Horatio Nelson, whose victory over the French fleet ensured the success of that year's entire campaign, became a truly national hero. King George III elevated him to the peerage and showered him with awards, and in 1799 promoted him to the rank of rear admiral, which at that time was the highest naval rank. But the end of his life's journey was already near.
The date October 21, 1805 became a dark day for the history of the British fleet - on this day Admiral Horatio Nelson died. His biography was so full of exciting adventures that they subsequently formed the basis of many literary works. At the height of the famous Battle of Trafalgar, a French bullet fired during a boarding battle put an end to this amazing life.
A hero is a hero in everything
Since there were no zinc coffins in that era, the hero’s remains were delivered to his homeland in a barrel of brandy. Once in the environment familiar to the sailor, the body was perfectly preserved and was buried in London in St. Paul's Cathedral.
The appearance of the national hero of England is known today thanks to the lifetime portrait painted by the outstanding British portraitist William Beachy. The portrait of Horatio Nelson was created in 1800, and shows the admiral at the zenith of his glory. It should also be added that he left behind two sons, but born not by his legal wife, but by the wife of the English ambassador in Naples, Lady Emma Hamilton. A hero - he is a hero in everything.
Results of the battle
The Allies lost 18 ships (one sunk, the rest captured) and about 15 thousand people killed, wounded and surrendered. The British captured or sank almost the entire allied fleet without losing a single ship. Their losses in killed and wounded amounted to about 2 thousand people. Many English ships were damaged, for example the flagship Victory had to be repaired in Gibraltar before it could reach England (and deliver Nelson's body there).
However, the strategic results of this battle were much more significant. France and Spain lost their naval power forever. Napoleon abandoned his plans to land troops in England and invade the Kingdom of Naples. Great Britain finally acquired the status of mistress of the seas.
3Prerequisites for the battle
After Britain and France were again at war with each other in May 1803, after the short-lived Peace of Amiens, Napoleon decided to stage an invasion of Great Britain.
In 1805, Europe's main land force was the army of the First French Empire under Napoleon; at sea such a force was the Royal Navy of Great Britain. During the war, Britain imposed a naval blockade on France, which affected trade and prevented France from mobilizing all of its naval forces. Despite several successful blockade breaks, the French ships were unable to completely stop the actions of the British fleet, which could equally attack them both on its territory and outside it.
The main part of the French fleet was located in Brest (in Brittany) and Toulon on the Mediterranean coast. There were also smaller squadrons that were stationed in ports on the Atlantic coast of France.
On October 5, 1804, four Spanish frigates carrying significant sums of money were stopped before Cadiz by British ships. 9 minutes after the start of the battle, the Spanish frigate Mercedes exploded, and the other three surrendered. Spain responded by declaring war on Great Britain and thus entered into an alliance with France. In this regard, on the side of France was the Spanish fleet, based in Cadiz and Ferrol.
Great Britain had a well-trained and experienced naval officer corps, while the best officers of the French navy were either executed or removed from service at the beginning of the French Revolution. The most reliable person who could be entrusted with the command of Napoleon's Mediterranean Fleet was Pierre-Charles Villeneuve.
Napoleon in the Boulogne camp was preparing a powerful landing force that was supposed to land on the British Isles. On his orders, barges were hastily prepared to transport the troops across the English Channel. Two waves of landings were planned. First: 1,700 barges were supposed to transport 113 thousand people and 5,600 horses. Second: another 590 barges could accommodate 48 thousand soldiers and 3,400 horses. The watercraft were prepared. However, they could not enter the English Channel, since they were completely defenseless against British battleships.
Therefore, in March 1805, Napoleon set Villeneuve the task of distracting the Royal Navy with an imaginary campaign in the Caribbean. The campaign took place, but did not achieve its goals: the British fleet, having guessed Napoleon's plans, continued to guard the English Channel. Moreover, on the way back, Villeneuve’s ships were intercepted at Cape Finisterre. The Spaniards lost two ships, the French did not enter the battle.
On August 20, the French squadron arrived in the Spanish port of Cadiz, where it was blocked by British ships. On September 17, 1805, Napoleon sent Villeneuve an order to weigh anchor with the entire allied fleet, go to Cartagena to unite there with the Spanish rear admiral Salcedo, and from there to Naples to land the troops there with his squadron to reinforce General Saint Siru, who was supposed to invade the Kingdom of Naples from the north.
3Battle of Trafalgar
Historical naval battle between British and Franco-Spanish naval forces. Occurred on October 21, 1805 at Cape Trafalgar on the Atlantic coast of Spain near the city of Cadiz.
In this decisive naval battle of the Napoleonic Wars, France and Spain lost twenty-two ships, while Great Britain lost none. During the battle, the commander of the English fleet, Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, died.
The combined fleet of France and Spain was commanded by French Admiral Pierre Villeneuve. Under his command was the Spanish admiral Federico Gravina, who led the Spanish forces.
The Battle of Trafalgar was part of the War of the Third Coalition and the major naval confrontation of the 19th century. Britain's victory confirmed the country's naval supremacy, established in the 18th century. After his defeat, Napoleon abandoned his plan to attack southern England and concentrated on the war against the other two main powers of Europe: Austria and Russia.
Horatio Nelson. Born 29 September 1758 at Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk - died 21 October 1805 at Cape Trafalgar (Spain). Great English naval commander, vice-admiral (January 1, 1801), Baron of the Nile (1798), viscount (1801).
Born into the family of parish priest Edmund Nelson (1722-1802) and Catherine Suckling (1725-1767). The Nelson family was theological. Three generations of men from this family served as priests. There were eleven children in Edmund Nelson's family, he raised them strictly, loved order in everything, considered fresh air and physical exercise very important in education, sincerely believed in God, considered himself a true gentleman and partly even a scientist. Horatio grew up as a sickly child, short in stature, but with a lively character.
In 1767, Horatio's mother, Katherine Nelson, died at the age of forty-two. Edmund Nelson never married after the death of his wife. Horatio became especially close to his brother William, who would later follow in his father's footsteps and become a priest. Horatio studied at two schools: Downham Market Primary and Norwich Secondary, studied Shakespeare and the basics of Latin, but he had no inclination to study.
In 1771, at the age of 12, he joined the ship of his uncle Captain Maurice Suckling, a hero of the Seven Years' War, as a cabin boy. The uncle’s reaction to Horatio’s desire to join the navy was as follows: “What has poor Horatio done wrong that it is he, the most fragile of all, who will have to do naval service? But let him come. Maybe in the very first battle a cannonball will blow his head off and relieve him of all his worries!”
Soon, his uncle's ship "Rezonable" was mothballed, and Horatio, at his uncle's request, was transferred to the battleship "Triumph". The captain of the Triumph was planning to go to the West Indies, and it was on this voyage that young Nelson acquired his first skills in naval service. Subsequently, Nelson recalled about the first voyage: “If I did not succeed in my education, then, in any case, I acquired a lot of practical skills, an aversion to the Royal Navy and learned the motto of the sailors: “Forward in the struggle for rewards and glory, brave sailor!” " He then worked as a messenger on another ship. After this, Suckling takes his nephew to join him on the Triumph as a midshipman. The ship was on patrol duty, and Captain Suckling was engaged in the maritime education of his nephew. Under the guidance of his uncle, Horatio mastered the basics of navigation, learned to read a map and perform the duties of a gunner. Soon, young Nelson gets a longboat at his disposal and sails on it at the mouths of the Thames and Midway.
In the summer of 1773, a polar expedition was organized, which included fourteen-year-old Horatio, sent to serve on the Carcass. The expedition was not successful and to this day is known only for the fact that the future hero took part in it. However, even there Horatio amazed everyone with his courage when he saw a polar bear at night, grabbed a musket and chased after it, to the horror of the ship’s captain. The bear, frightened by the cannon shot, disappeared, and upon returning to the ship Nelson took all the blame upon himself. The captain, scolding him, in his heart admired the courage of the young man. Polar adventures strengthened the hero, and he longed for new exploits.
In 1773, he became a 1st class sailor on the brig Seahorse. Nelson spent almost a year in the Indian Ocean. In 1775, he fell down with an attack of fever, he was taken to the ship Dolphin and sent to the shores of England. The return voyage lasted more than six months. Much later, Nelson recalled a certain vision on the way from India: “A certain light descending from the sky, a sparkling luminary calling to glory and triumph.” Upon arrival at home, he was appointed to the ship Worcester as a fourth lieutenant, that is, he was already a watch commander, although he did not yet have the rank of officer. He carried out patrol duty and accompanied trade caravans.
In the spring of 1777, Horatio Nelson took the exam for the rank of lieutenant, as they say, not without the help of his all-powerful uncle Captain Suckling, who was the chairman of the examination committee. Immediately after successfully passing the exam, he is assigned to the frigate Lowestof, which was sailing to the West Indies. The officer's toast before sailing: “To a bloody war and a season that brings disease!” The crew of the Lowestof treated the young lieutenant with respect and, when he left the frigate, presented him with an ivory box in the shape of their frigate as a souvenir. Nelson transferred to the flagship Bristol under the command of Parker.
In 1778, Nelson became a commander and was assigned to the brig Badger, guarding the eastern coast of Latin America. The coastal security service was restless, as they constantly had to chase after smugglers. One day during the Badger's stay in Montego Bay, the brig Glasgow suddenly caught fire. Thanks to Nelson's actions, the brig's crew was saved.
In 1779, twenty-year-old Nelson became a full captain and was given command of the 28-gun frigate Hinchinbrook. On his first independent voyage off the coast of America, he captured several loaded ships, the prize amount was about 800 pounds, part of which he sent to his father.
In 1780, on the orders of Admiral Parker, Nelson left Jamaica and landed troops at the mouth of the San Juan River, the goal being to capture Fort San Juan. The fort was taken, but without Nelson, who was ordered to return to Jamaica, which saved his life, since most of the sailors died of yellow fever. The patient was treated for malaria in the house of Admiral Parker, where he was received like a son. With the first ship he is sent to England for treatment. He arrives in the resort town of Bath, from where he writes: “I would give anything to be in Port Royal again. Lady Parker is not here, and the servants do not pay any attention to me, and I am lying around like a log.” Recovery was slow. He visits brother William in Norfolk and learns of his brother's desire to become a ship's chaplain. This terrifies Horatio; he, like no one else, knowing sea customs, realizes that this is an incredibly difficult and thankless task. However, the brother remains unconvinced.
An assignment to the Albemarle soon followed, he was sent to Denmark, then served in Quebec. Here Horatio met his first love - the 16-year-old daughter of the chief of military police, Mary Simpson. From his letters it is clear that he had never experienced such feelings and had no experience in love affairs. He dreamed that he would take Mary home and live quietly with her in rural Norfolk: “What is the navy to me and what is a career to me now that I have found true love!” However, while indulging in dreams, the lover did not even bother to ask Mary about her feelings for him. Friends persuaded him not to propose yet and to test his feelings by going to New York, the new home port of the Albemarle. Here he met Prince William, the future King of England William IV. The prince recalled: “When Nelson arrived in his longboat, he seemed to me to be a boy in a captain’s uniform.”
In 1783, taking a vacation, he travels with a friend to France; he is unpleasantly surprised by this country - the eternal enemy of England. There Nelson falls in love with a certain Miss Andrews, but he never achieves reciprocity from her. He leaves for London and from there writes to his brother: “There are so many temptations in London that a man’s life is spent entirely on them.” To the surprise of many, Nelson wants to become a parliamentarian and lobby for the interests of the Admiralty in Parliament, however, when the First Lord of the Admiralty invites him to return to service, he immediately agrees, so politics was over. He was offered the frigate "Borey", which was supposed to carry out patrol service in the West Indies. Nelson had to include brother William in the ship's staff, who never gave up the idea of bringing the Good News to the sailors. At Port Deal, the captain learned that the Dutch had captured 16 English sailors, he sent an armed detachment on board the Dutch ship and opened cannon ports, the sailors were released and joined the crew of the Boreas. In 1784, the frigate entered the harbor of the island of Antigua, it was put in order and loaded with supplies. Meanwhile, the captain managed to meet and fall in love with Jane Moutray, the wife of the Admiralty representative in Antigua, and soon the official was recalled to England and his beautiful wife left with him. Brother William, disillusioned with the position of the ship's chaplain, began to drink and became seriously ill; he had to be sent home to England.
Nelson’s relationship with the commander did not work out either. Nelson's main task in the West Indies was to monitor compliance with the Navigation Act, according to which goods could only be imported into English colonial ports on English ships, thus giving English merchants and shipowners a monopoly on trade and at the same time this act supported the British fleet.
After the United States won independence, American ships became foreign and could not trade on the same terms, but a market formed and the Americans continued to trade. Local English officials knew about this, but remained silent, since they received a significant percentage from the smuggling. Nelson believed that if American trade was harmful to England, it should be eradicated. He later recalled: “When they were colonists, the Americans owned almost all trade from America to the West Indian Islands, and when the war ended they forgot that having won, they became foreigners and now have no right to trade with the British colonies. Our governors and customs officials pretend that under the Navigation Act they have the right to trade, and the people of the West Indian Islands want what is to their advantage. Having notified the governors, customs officers and Americans in advance of what I was going to do, I captured many ships, which turned all these groups against me. I was driven from one island to another, and for a long time I could not even get on land. But my unshakable moral rules helped me survive, and when this problem was better understood, I received support from my homeland. “I proved that the position of captain of a warship obliges him to comply with all maritime laws and carry out orders from the Admiralty, and not to be a customs officer.” Complaints were written against Nelson, but the king promised him his support in the event of a trial. The captain could not even imagine that not only the local governor-general and the squadron commander, but also a huge number of London officials were feeding from West Indian smuggling, so he acquired many high-ranking enemies in the capital.
A new stage in his life began when Nelson was asked to bring John Herbert's niece, Miss Perry Herbert, to the island of Barbados. Upon arrival, he was invited to visit and there he first saw Herbert’s second niece, the young widow Frances Nisbet, in the home circle she was affectionately called Fanny, she had a son from her first marriage. Nelson fell in love immediately: “I don’t have the slightest doubt that we will be a happy couple, and if we are not, it will be my fault.” On March 11, 1787, their wedding took place.
In 1787, Nelson left the West Indies, he went home, Fanny and her son left a little later. In 1793, with the outbreak of war against France, he received the position of captain of a battleship as part of the Mediterranean squadron of Admiral Samuel Hood. In the same year, he took an active part in the hostilities near Toulon, in July 1794 he commanded a landing party in Corsica, having received a wound to his right eye during the siege of the Calvi fortress, and on July 13, 1795, he distinguished himself in a naval battle, forcing the surrender of a French ship, which was much superior by the power of his own.
On February 14, 1797, he took part in the battle of Cape Saint Vincent (the extreme southwestern tip of Portugal). On his own initiative, he took his ship out of the squadron's line formation and carried out a maneuver that was decisive for the defeat of the Spanish fleet. Two of the four Spanish ships captured by the British were boarded under the personal command of Nelson, who received the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Bath and the rank of rear admiral of the blue flag (blue squadron) for this battle.
In July 1797, during an unsuccessful attempt to capture the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Nelson lost his right arm.
Since 1798, he commanded a squadron sent to the Mediterranean Sea to counter the Egyptian expedition of 1798-1801 undertaken by France.
The English squadron failed to prevent the landing of French troops in Alexandria, but on August 1-2, 1798, Nelson managed to defeat the French fleet at Aboukir, cutting off Napoleon Bonaparte's army in Egypt; Nelson himself was wounded in the head. As a reward, George III made Nelson Peer Baron of Neil and Burnham Thorpe. In August 1799, for the restoration of Ottoman rule in Egypt, he was awarded the Order of the Crescent by Sultan Selim III and granted a chalenk.
In Naples, where Nelson was sent to help the Kingdom of Naples in the fight against France, his affair with the English ambassador's wife Lady Emma Hamilton, which lasted until the death of the admiral. Emma gave birth to his daughter Horatia Nelson. Nelson did not have time to help Naples, and the city fell into the hands of the French. After the liberation of Naples by the Russian squadron of Admiral F.F. Ushakov and the surrender of the French garrison, Nelson, despite the protests of the Russian allies, tarnished his name with brutal reprisals against French prisoners and Italian republicans. Tarle wrote:
“If the influence of Emma Hamilton and Queen Caroline was felt, it was somewhat later (not in 1798, but in 1799), and it was expressed in disgraceful connivance with the memory of the famous English admiral of the ferocious white terror and even in some direct participation in the ugly excesses of that time. .. Nelson decided to hang Admiral Caracciolo, commander of the Republican fleet. He hastily organized a military court and, prompted by his mistress Lady Hamilton, who, preparing to leave, wanted to be present at the hanging, ordered the sentence to be carried out immediately. Caracciolo was hanged on the very day of his trial, June 18 (29), 1799, on board the battleship Minerva. Caracciolo's body continued to hang on the ship all day. “An example is needed,” explained the English Ambassador Hamilton, who was quite worthy of his wife.”
In 1801, he was the 2nd flagship in Admiral Hyde Parker's squadron during operations in the Baltic Sea and the bombardment of Copenhagen, then commanded a squadron in the English Channel, which was formed to counter the French Boulogne flotilla. In 1803-1805, commander of the Mediterranean squadron operating against France and Spain. In September 1805, Nelson's squadron blocked the Franco-Spanish fleet in Cadiz, and on October 21 defeated it in Trafalgar naval battle, in which Nelson was mortally wounded by a French sniper on the first day of the battle, while advancing against the combined forces of the French and Spanish fleets.
Nelson's body was taken to London and on January 9, 1806, it was solemnly buried in St. Paul's Cathedral.
The admiral's corpse was transported to London in a barrel of brandy. This is where the myth arose that sailors allegedly drank from this barrel through straws, secretly from their superiors. But this is unlikely, because the body of the deceased was guarded around the clock.
There is a common misconception that Admiral Nelson wore a patch over his right eye. However, it is not. Indeed, in the battles in Corsica he received a shrapnel wound to his right eye from sand and stone chips. He was immediately bandaged and returned to battle. He did not lose his eyes, but his vision with them became worse.
Officers of the English fleet have a tradition of not applauding, as usual, with two palms, but of knocking on the table with the fist of their left hand - a memory of the one-armed admiral.
