Horatio Nelson collection, 1781-1805 (majority within 1801-1805)

Summary

Creator:

Smith, Hubert Stacy, 1888-1946

Abstract:

The Horatio Nelson collection consists of two bound volumes of Nelson’s incoming and outgoing correspondence, and chronologically arranged box of letters and documents, primarily related to the Royal Navy and British international relations during the early 19th century.

Extent:

117 items

Language:

English
French

Sponsor:

Hubert S. Smith Naval Collection

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Erin Platte and Meg Hixon, April 2013, and Jayne Ptolemy, 2014

Background

Scope and Content:

The Horatio Nelson collection (117 items) consists of two bound volumes of Nelson’s incoming and outgoing correspondence, and one chronologically arranged box of letters and documents, primarily related to the Royal Navy and British international relations during the early 19th century.

Volume I, "Lord Nelson and the Battle of Copenhagen" (35 items, April 4, 1801-July 30, 1801), contains 20 letters between Nelson and Hans Lindholm concerning the battle and diplomatic relations between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Russia, including efforts to secure peace between Great Britain and Denmark. Letters to Nelson from other writers about the Royal Navy and Nelson's military career are also present.

Volume II, "Letters of Horatio Lord Nelson to Captain S. Sutton, R. N. with Memorabilia of the Battle of Trafalgar" (30 items, October 28, 1773; October 22, 1801-September 25, 1805), contains Nelson's letters to Sutton (18 items), as well as additional correspondence and documents related to the Battle of Trafalgar and Nelson's death. In his letters to Sutton, Nelson discussed various naval issues, such as ship movements, the possibility of treaty between Great Britain and France in 1801, and tensions with France in 1805. Other items include engravings of Nelson, "Bacchante," and Nelson's column; Cuthbert Collingwood's orders for Nelson to sail to Cadiz and spy on the enemy fleet (August 24, 1805); Samuel Sutton's admission ticket for Nelson's funeral; and illustrated manuscripts about Royal Navy night signals, its order of battle, and Nelson's final flag-based signal to the fleet ("England expects every man will do his D U T Y").

A chronological series of manuscripts (52 items, 1781-1805) covers Horatio Nelson’s naval career in the West Indies, Mediterranean, and Baltic. A 46-page manuscript describes Horatio Nelson’s attempts in the British West Indies to curtail illegal trade with the United States of America from June 1784 through July 1786. Several letters relate to Nelson’s diplomatic and naval efforts in Italy in the late 1790s. Others detail Nelson’s involvement in and opinion of European political and military affairs, including relations with France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, Sweden, Denmark, and Russia. The collection also includes series of correspondence with William Hamilton, Robert Barlow, and John Hookham Frere. For additional information about each individual item, see the Detailed Box and Folder Listing.

Biographical / Historical:

Horatio Nelson was born in Norfolk, England, on September 29, 1758, the son of Edmund and Catherine Nelson. In 1771, he joined his uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling of the HMS Raisonnable, during the Falkland Islands crisis, but they soon parted ways. He participated in voyages to the West Indies, Arctic Ocean, and India, and became lieutenant aboard the Worcester in 1776. Nelson served as an officer on multiple different ships before becoming commander of the Badger in 1778. Throughout the early 1780s, Nelson served in actions against France, Spain, and the rebelling North American colonists. He was sent to the Caribbean to help uphold the Navigation Acts in 1784. Nelson later served in the Mediterranean and the Baltic, and he successfully commanded a squadron at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801. Nelson is perhaps remembered best for his victory against the French fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar. He died of injuries sustained during the battle on October 21, 1805. Nelson married Frances Nisbet in 1787 and had an extended love affair with Emma Hamilton, the wife of Sir William Hamilton.

Acquisition Information:

Donated, Mary Parker Smith, 1953. M-947 .

Processing information:

Cataloging funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). This collection has been processed according to minimal processing procedures and may be revised, expanded, or updated in the future.

Arrangement:

The collection is made up of two bound volumes of correspondence and a chronologically arranged box of letters and documents.

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Related Materials

Additional items by or related to Horatio Nelson may be found in the following manuscript collections:

• Fenno-Hoffman family papers
• Stephen Kemble papers
• George Townshend, 1st Marquis Townshend papers

The Clements Library has many additional printed items and graphic materials related to Horatio Nelson. Search the library's online catalog for more information.

Bibliography

"Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013.

Rodger, N. A. M. "Nelson, Horatio, Viscount Nelson (1758-1805)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Online edition. Oxford University Press, 2004. DOI: 10.1093/ref:odnb/19877

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Copenhagen, Battle of, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1801.
Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815.
Second Coalition, War of the, 1798-1801.
Third Coalition, War of the, 1805.
Trafalgar, Battle of, 1805.
Bacchantes.
Signals and signaling.

Formats:

Accounts.
Letters (correspondence)
Orders (military records)
Portraits.
Tables (documents)

Names:

Great Britain. Royal Navy.
Great Britain. Royal Navy. Officers.
Great Britain. Royal Navy--Communication systems.
Great Britain. Royal Navy--Flags.
Nelson, Horatio Nelson, Viscount, 1758-1805.
Angerstein, John Julius, 1735-1823.
Balashov, Alexsandr (Alexsandr Dmitrievich)
Bickerton, Richard Hussey, Sir, 1759-1832.
Collingwood, Cuthbert Collingwood, Baron, 1750-1810.
Crawford, James.
Davison, Alexander, 1750-1829.
Lindholm, Hans.
Hamilton, William, Sir, 1730-1803.
Hobart, Robert, Earl of Buckinghamshire, 1760-1816.
Logan, James.
Louis, Thomas, Sir, -1807.
Nepean, Evan, Sir, 1751-1822.
Peers, Daniel Letsome.
Smith, W. Sidney (William Sidney), Sir, 1764-1840.
Stewart, William, Sir, 1774-1827.
Totty, Thomas.
Vansittart, Nicholas, 1766-1851.
Walterstorff, Ernest Frederick.

Places:

Great Britain--Colonies--Commerce.
Great Britain--Foreign relations--1800-1837.
Great Britain--Foreign relations--Algeria.
Great Britain--Foreign relations--Egypt.
Great Britain--Foreign relations--France.
Great Britain--Foreign relations--Italy.
Great Britain--Foreign relations--Malta.
Great Britain--Foreign relations--Mediterranean Region.
Great Britain--Foreign relations--Portugal.
Great Britain--Foreign Relations--Russia.
Great Britain--Foreign Relations--Spain.
Great Britain--Foreign Relations--Turkey.