Episode 18: Horatio
Everyone loves the story of an underdog.
A tale of someone with all the odds stacked against them, and manages to come back and surprise the world with their amazing feats. The type of person who has Islands named after them and can inspire a nation
Someone who is so impressive at what they have accomplished, you can almost forget and forgive their flaws.
Horatio always had a poor disposition. His stomach afflicted him in ways he barely handled.
When he was born, his mother didn’t believe he would survive infancy, and in fact he nearly died. As a child Horatio suffered many illnesses such as measles and marsh fever.
He was afflicted constantly by coughs and colds. Being born in 1758 and the sixth of eleven children, Horatio knew that his only chance of leading a successful life was to join the military.
Horatio had an uncle in the navy who was a captain, and at the age of twelve he went to his uncle and told him of his intent to enlist. In response, Horatio’s uncle, the Naval Captain Maurice Suckling, was surprised and remarked: ‘what has poor Horatio done, who is so weak, that he above all the rest should be sent to rough it out at sea?’
They might not have known it at the time, but was a premonition of what was yet to come.
SHOW NOTES:
Sickly Seadog
While life at sea made Horatio much more robust than in his childhood, he was still extremely susceptible to illness.
Over his years of service Horatio suffered from malaria, yellow fever, scurvy, tuberculosis and dysentery.
All of which he bore stoically.
Nelson Fights a Polar Bear
One of Horatio’s first voyages was on the bomb vessel HMS Carcass as a coxswain on a voyage of exploration in the Arctic to try and reach the North Pole. He was only 15 years old at the time.
When they set sail on their expedition in 1773 there was a theory circulating around the world there was an open sea near the North Pole. Inevitably the two ships in the expedition quickly became stuck in the ice.
While stranded, young Horatio spotted a polar bear in the distance. He set off across the ice with his musket, intending to run the creature down.
Coming to a halt, Horatio paused and studied his hand, then pulled the trigger. Unfortunately his gun misfired.
Nelson Fights the Walrus
While in the arctic, two of the ships’ boats were sent off to try and find a passage out of the ice. During their expedition, one of the boats decided on a little bit of sport with a walrus.
They managed to shoot and wound one, but the beast dived down into the sea, escaping from his hunters. When the walrus resurfaced, he came with reinforcements. Several of the walruses proceeded to attack the boat putting it at risk of being overturned.
Horatio, in the other boat, raced to their rescue and chased the walruses away.
Promoted to Captain
Just 5 years after the arctic expedition, Horatio was promoted to Captain. The now captain was given command of a frigate and took part in operations against Spanish settlements in Nicaragua at just 20 years of age. After the American Revolution Captain Horatio Nelson returned to England, but was soon dispatched to the West Indies again. It was in the West Indies where he met his future wife, Frances and her son, Josiah.
No Eyes, No Arms
Not only was Horatio Nelson sickly, but he ws rather prone to injury as well. In 1794 he Horatio lost partial sight in right eye. The incident occurred while he was engaged in an operation to capture the island of Sardinia. While on shore a cannon ball landed nearby.
The shot showered his face with debris. There was no wound on the eye and it is likely that he suffered from a detached retina. He would never properly see from his right eye again.
Just a few years later he was stuck by a musket ball in the arm during the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Who was Nelson?
Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson of the Nile and Burnham Thorpe, in full, is one of Britain’s greatest heroes. He sits atop his column revered as a national icon. Many stories have been written about him; many true, many false and most embellished in some way. He was a flawed and controversial hero.
He possessed the moxie and the leadership, but lacked the constitution. He was weak and sickly and he disobeyed orders. But he was charismatic, lucky, and a tactical genius who inspired great loyalty.
Nelson’s Love Life
While Horatio was a hero on the battlefield, he didn’t uphold quite the same reputation in his personal affairs. His love life was spectacular but it was hardly was a gentleman or lady would call honourable. He met his wife Frances, or ‘dearest Fanny’ as he called her, at the age of 27 when he was stationed in the West Indies.
While The Agamemnon was in the Mediterranean, Horatio met the British Ambassador to Naples, Sir William Hamilton, and his wife Emma.
Emma struck a cord with Horatio, and he was smitten. After the battle of the Nile Nelson returned to Naples and immediately took up relations with Emma Hamilton. The two became inseparable as he once again fell head over heels in love.
Their affair quickly became public knowledge and it both outraged and fascinated polite society.
When they returned to England in 1800 Emma his mistress, and Fanny, his wife met for the first time.
It is safe to say that they did not hit it off. Emma called Fanny a 'vile Tom Tit', and 'a very wicked, artful woman’. During the argument Horatio sided with Emma. He never saw Fanny again.
Before setting off for the battle of Trafalgar Nelson and Emma attended communion together and in an informal ceremony they exchanged betrothal rings. They were as good as married, except in the eyes of the law.
Things did not turn out well. Nelson was killed at the battle on October 21st, 1905 from a gunshot wound.
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