Horatio Nelson

Vice-Admiral The Right Honourable
The Viscount Nelson
KB
Portrait of Nelson by L. F. Abbott (1799)
Born(1758-09-29)29 September 1758
Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, England, Great Britain
Died21 October 1805(1805-10-21) (aged 47)
HMS Victory, off Cape Trafalgar
Cause of deathGunshot wound
Burial placeSt Paul's Cathedral, London
Spouse
​
(m. 1787)​
ChildrenHoratia Nelson
Parents
Military career
BranchRoyal Navy
Years of service1771–1805
RankVice-admiral of the White
Commands
List
Battles / wars
List
AwardsOrder of the Bath
Signature

Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was an British sea captain in the Royal Navy.

Born at the rectory of the village of Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, Nelson commanded the British fleet during the Napoleonic Wars, fighting the French and the Spanish. Nelson was blind in one eye after he had been wounded in battle.

During the Battle of Trafalgar, his greatest victory, he was killed by a French sniper.

Last words

At least three versions of his last words exist and are shown in Wikiquote.

His most well-known last words are "Kiss me, Hardy".

Another statement during his last hours was "Thank God I have done my duty."

An alternative version is that he said both of those statements. He said "Kiss me, Hardy," When Hardy kissed him on the cheek. Then, Nelson said, "Now I am satisfied. Thank God I have done my duty." Next, Hardy kissed him again on the forehead, when Nelson called out, "Who is that?" Hardy replied, "It is Hardy." Nelson said, "God bless you, Hardy." Finally, he murmoured to those around him to look after Emma Hamilton and his daughter.

Most recently, accounts of his chaplain, Alexander Scott; his steward, Chevalier; and the purser, Walter Burke state that Nelson said, "Drink, drink. Fan, fan. Rub, rub." That was a request to ease the symptoms of thirst, heat, and the pains of his wounds.

Scott, who remained by Nelson as he died, recorded Nelson's last words as "God and my country."

References

  1. 1 2 Mullet, Charles F. (1978). "Nelson, Horatio". World Book Encyclopedia. Vol. 14. World Book-Childcraft International Inc. p. 113-115. ISBN 0716600781.
  2. ↑ "BBC: History: Historic Figures: Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson (1758 - 1805)". BBC. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
  3. ↑ Horsley, E. M. (1986). Hutchinson Factfinder: Concise Encyclopedia. London: Guild Publishing.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Iggulden, Hal; Iggulden, Conn (2006). The Dangerous Book for Boys. HarperCollins. p. 154-158. ISBN 9780007232741.
  5. ↑ N.A.M. Rodger, ‘Nelson, Horatio, Viscount Nelson (1758–1805)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press 2004; online edn, May 2009 accessed 5 Oct 2009
  6. ↑ Pocock, Tom (1987). Horatio Nelson. London: The Bodley Head. p. 331. ISBN 0-370-31124-8.
  7. ↑ Hayward, Joel S. A. (2003). For God and Glory: Lord Nelson and His Way of War. ISBN 1-59114-351-9.p. 63