Nelson & His World

I am trying to source a letter from Nelson to, I believe, Blackwood, which he wrote before they had ever met. It is Nelson at his most charming, asking whether he too believes that men can be bound in friendship even before they have met.

Can anyone help?

Hello Tycho,

I found the letter in the Nicholas Edition, volume 7, page CXCV. It is indeed a charming letter.
Sylvia


To Captain the right hon. Henry Blackwoord, H.M.S. Penelope

Palermo, 5th April, 1800

My dear Blackwood,

Is there a sympathy which ties men together in the bonds of friendship without having a personal knowledge of each other? If so, (and, I believe, it was so to you,) I was your friend and acquaintance before I saw you. Your conduct and character on the late glorious occasion stamps your fame beyond the reach of envy: it was like yourself - it was like the Penelope. Thanks; and say everything kind for me to your brave Officers and men. When I receive any official letter on the subject, I shall notice your and their gallant services in the way they merit. Tell Captain Ormsby I have recommend him to Lord Keith, and hope it will answer his wishes. How fortunate he has been to be with you! It will give him, I am sure, the next step, and not interfere with captain Long, or any other Master and Commander who might have been present. I shall see you very soon, either here or at Malta. But in every situation I am your sincere and attached friend.

Tycho,

Just to put it in context, Nelson's letter was in reference to Blackwood's attack on the 'Guillaume Tell', the last ship to be captured of the four that escaped after the Nile, and which he made possible. She was the flagship of rear admiral Villeneuve.

Following the battle she made for Malta and appears to have been in Valletta harbour ever since. When the French were forced to vacate the island, the GT attempted to make for Toulon on 30th March 1800, but Blackwood's frigate 'Penelope' caught up with her and, although not capturing her himself managed to damage her enough for two other ships to come up. These were the 64 gun 'Lion' and the 'Foudroyant', minus Nelson, and it was to the latter which she surrendered.

Blackwood's method of attack, by firing broadsides into her stern, may have reminded Nelson of an earlier exploit of his own in 1795, when he attempted to take the French 'Ca Ira' in similar fashion.

Kester

Thank you, both, for those very helpful posts.

Tycho,

I have just come across this very interesting account from James Harrison's 'Life of the Right Honourable Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson' and consisting of various letter from the naval officers concerned with the capture of the Guillaume Tell:

http://www.ihaystack.com/authors/h/jame ... i_p009.htm

The letters also give some mention of Captains Long and Ormsby.

Kester

Tycho!

If you want to know lots about Blackwood, I can heartily recommend Leslie Bennett's 'Nelson's Eyes: the life and corrrespondence of Vice Admiral Henry Blackwood' (SEFF editon 2005). It is packed with fascinating detail (including Blackwood's complete pay records and the size of his head as recorded by Locke's, the Hatter!). The only mistake I noticed was Bennett's ignorance of the identity of the admiral referred to as 'the Irish Peer'. This was of course Lord Keith who was a member of the irish Peerage. It was a slightly dismissive term used by the followers of his Mediterranean rival, Lord Nelson, and by English officers generally who were cynical of the fact his ships (and promotioin lists) were packed with Scotsmen.

Brian

Brian, welcome to the forum! I'd vaguely heard of Bennett's book but it is always good to have a personal recommendation, so that is definitely another one for the Christmas list! Thank you. I have a soft spot for Blackwood - another poetry lover. I wonder if Bennett mentions that he presented a copy of Lord Teignmouth's Poem 'Nelson's Tomb' to every man in 'Victory'?

Kester - I'm sorry I took so long to thank you for the interesting link above which I have only just found time to read after the last few hectic weeks. How vivid Berry's account is of the capture of the Guillaume Tell! All those breathless sentences giving a minute by minute account of the action are so immediate; and his affectionate tribute to Nelson is very touching.

Nelson's exuberance at the capture of this ship is palpable. It was after this action, too, that he wrote another charming letter to Lt Inglis who had asked to leave the Penelope. Nelson refused, and then wrote a delighted 'I told you so' letter, congratulating him: 'You will now get your promotion in the pleasantest of all ways, by the gallant exertions of yourself and all those brave friends who surrounded you on that glorious night! What a triumph for you! What a pleasure to me!'

There was another interesting reference in this link which I have quoted on the 'Blue Lights' thread.