HORATIO NELSON

naval commander who led British forces to victory during Napoleonic wars
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté,(29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was anEnglish flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He won several victories, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, during which he was killed.

Nelson was born into a moderately prosperous Norfolk family, and joined the navy through the influence of his uncle, Maurice Suckling. He rose rapidly through the ranks and served with leading naval commanders of the period before obtaining his own command in 1778.

Known as a brilliant naval commander through Napoleonic France, Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson brought England decisive victories in battle. Most noted in history are the battles of the Nile and Trafalgar just before the turn of the century and in 1805, respectively.
 He was made infamous with higher society for his relationship with Emma Hamilton, also known as Lady Hamilton.

Born into a family that was educated, but of the lower-middle class, the young Horatio was taken under the wing of his uncle, Captain Maurince Suckling, the comptroller of the British Royal Navy. From that point on, the boy dreamed of a life on the sea. With regular and extreme adventures, he traveled to the West Indies and even attempted to sail to the Artic. After spending several months in the Indian Ocean, Horatio contracted, what many scholars agree was malaria, which left him sick for some time. However, upon recovery, he worked even harder to prove himself not only to his uncle but also to the entire British Navy.

By the end of the 1770s, Horatio Nelson had obtained the status of lieutenant and was given an operation to sale to the West Indies once more. Even though he was young, he led a frigate to Nicaragua and led an attack on San Juan. However, his forces were diminished not from battle, but from yellow fever. Upon returning to England, he had gained some national recognition and was sent out again to the islands. While there, he felt alone because of his advocacy of supporting the law that British ships should not trade with enemies. While on the island of Nevis, he married Frances Nisbet. He returned home financially inept because of the admiralty that wished to keep him from sailing again. However, when France’s King Louis XVI was killed, he was immediately brought back to lead a gunship.

Admiral Horatio Nelson sailed to Naples for backup supplies and men, and thereafter met Emma Hamilton with whom he would start a love affair. Toulon soon fell and Nelson’s naval commander decided their base should be moved to Corsica. However, soon after this, all of Britain’s island bases in the Mediterranean fell to France, leaving only Gibraltar and Tagus. While sailing near Cape St. Vincent, Nelson and his fleet found themselves up against nearly 30 ships. Horatio decided to attack the second squadron, keeping the Spanish ships apart from one another. Fighting one ship at a time, he eventually took down the entire second squadron with his one ship. He and his commander’s role in the battle won Nelson a Knighting from the crown.

Later in the Battle in the Nile, Nelson attacked a battery of French ships. One ship at a time, Admiral Nelson took each French ship out as it sat immobilized. This victory won meant he would be made a baron for his strategic victory to win back the Nile.

With Napoleon Bonaparte now leading France as its self-proclaimed emperor, Bonaparte was given command of the Mediterranean in order to protect Toulon. Nelson pursued Pierre Villenueve into Cadiz, Spain when Villenueve’s ship was damaged by the British onslaught. He returned to Gibraltar and held Cadiz. In the Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson’s ships took over fifteen enemy ships. But, in the ensuing fire, Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson was shot through the shoulder and later died. He was given a hero’s funeral in England.