NELSON HORATIO: (1758-1805)

NELSON HORATIO: (1758-1805) British Admiral during the Napoleonic Wars, the victor of the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805. Autograph Document, unsigned, one page, small 4to, n.p. (HMS Victory at sea), n.d. (8th September 1804). The document, evidently removed from a Naval Order Book, lays out various instructions, in full, ´The Seahorse & Niger to watch the motions of the French Fleet in Toulon occasionally going to Rend[evou]s 102 in order to acquaint any ships that I am gone to Rend[evou]s No. 97 at which rend[evou]s I shall be found or intell[igen]ce where I may be gone to. When the Active joins from Porto Torres to desire Capt. Moubray to join me as soon as possible and also the Amazon daily expected from Malta´. The lower section of the page features an attestation signed by Nelson´s niece, Catherine Bolton (1781-1857), ´I certify this to be the writing of my late uncle Admiral Viscount Nelson, Catherine Bolton´, and dated at Burnham, 27th December 1745. Some age wear and light staining, particularly to the folds (reinforced to the verso). G

The orders contained in the present document were also relayed, in slightly greater detail, to Vice Admiral Sir Courtenay Boyle (1770-1844) by Nelson in another Naval Order Book, dated 8th September 1804. In those orders Nelson instructs Boyle, at the time commanding HMS Seahorse, to also take HMS Niger under his command and station himself between Rendezvous 102 and Toulon ´in such position as you may judge best for watching the Enemy´s motions in that Port, and for ascertaining with correctness their putting to sea, in case they should do so´. Nelson also advises Boyle to take the greatest care to not approach Toulon ´so as to render yourself liable to being becalmed, and consequently to an attack from a superior force´. Finally, Nelson tells Boyle that ´in the event of the Enemy´s putting to sea, or any important intelligence obtained respecting them, you will join me yourself, or send the Niger to Cape St. Sebastians, with all dispatch´.

Nelson´s document was written during his blockade of the French fleet at Toulon, which lasted from July 1803 to December 1804 and represented a significant point in his career, demonstrating his abilities as a naval commander. The primary goal of the blockade was to prevent the French fleet, under the command of Vice-Admiral Villeneuve, from leaving Toulon and posing a threat to British interests, particularly a potential invasion of England.