Below is my second set of observations.
WD
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Part 2: (1838 – 1901) - Historical Accuracy?1838 – Foster & HextallThe “
The Life of Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson, Baron of the Nile, Duke of Bronte, etc.” by an unnamed author (published by Foster and Hextall in 1838), provides some details which are attributed to a “
memoir of an [unnamed]
officer, which was given to Mr. Clarke [& M’Arthur
], and which he has inserted in his Life of Nelson”.
Quote:
“On board the Elephant, the night of the 1st of April .... As soon as the fleet was at anchor, the gallant Nelson sat down to table with a large party of his comrades in arms. He was in the highest spirits, and drank to a leading wind and to the success of the ensuing day. Captain, Foley, Hardy, Freemantle, Riou, Inman; his lordship’s second in command, Admiral Greaves, and a few others to whom he was particularly attached, were of this interesting party; from which every man separated with feelings of admiration for their great leader, and with an anxious impatience to follow him to the approaching battle. The signal to prepare for action had been made early in the evening. All captains retired to their respective ships, Riou excepted, who, with Lord Nelson and Foley, arranged the order of battle, and those instructions ... These three officers retired between nine and ten to the after cabin, and drew up these orders ...”
A comparison of phrases used above and in Nicolas’ 1884 book; confirms that the unnamed author, of the 1838 book, did have access to (... or perhaps even had written?) the anonymous memoir (see
1808?-Narrative entry) later included in Nicolas’ book.
Clarke & M’Arthur did
not insert the circa 1808 memoir into their 1810 “
Life of Nelson”. The unnamed officer, who is asserted to have provided the narrative to Clarke and M’Arthur, was later postulated to be Stewart in Nicolas’ 1884 book.
With the anchoring at eight and the orders being prepared between nine and ten, the duration of the dinner on the evening before the battle would have, by necessity, been
very brief. This 1838 book is perhaps the first to list the officers (including Hardy) who “
sat down to table” with Nelson. As discussed in the
1806-Harrison entry, it is unlikely that Hardy attended this brief dinner.
The author’s use of phrases such as
"a large party of his comrades in arms" and “
of this interesting party” is
somewhat ambiguous in that some readers (and historical authors) over the years have interpreted the meaning differently. The Oxford Dictionary includes many definitions for “
party”, of which two could be inferred in this 1838 book: “a
social gathering of invited guests, typically involving eating, drinking, and entertainment” or “
a group of people taking part in a particular activity or trip”.
The second is my interpretation.
1873 – GrantIn James Grant’s 1873 “
British Battles on Land and Sea”, he includes a narrative largely extracted from and attributed to Robert Southey’s 1813 book.
Quote:
“The whole division .... came to anchor off Draco Point, just as the last rays of the sun faded ...
“I shall fight them the moment I have a fair wind,” exclaimed Nelson, as his own anchor was let go.
... a few shells ... fell harmlessly among our ships, which were crowded in an anchoring-ground ... ..., says Southey, "... Nelson sat down to table with a large party of his officers; he was, as he was ever wont to be when on the eve of action, in high spirits, and drank to a leading wind, and to the success of to-morrow.'
After supper they returned to their respective ships, except Riou, who remained to arrange the order of battle with Nelson and Captain Foley, and to draw up instructions. Hardy, meantime, went in a small boat to examine the channel between them and the Enemy ...”
Grant's use of Southey’s phase "
large party of his officers" is ambiguous and open to interpretation as discussed in the
1838-Foster & Hextall entry.
1884 - NicolasIn "
The dispatches and letters of Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson with notes by Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas", Nicolas includes the full 6 page “
memoir of an officer” entitled “
Narrative of Events Connected with the Conduct of Lord Nelson in the Baltic, 1801”. Nicolas states that this narrative was prepared by Stewart for Clarke and M’Arthur, but not included in their 1810 book:
Quote:
“About dark, the whole fleet was at its anchorage off Draco point; the headmost of the Enemy’s line not more than two miles distant. The small extent of the Anchoring-ground, as the fleet did not consist of less than thirty-three Pendants, cause the Ships to be so much crowded, which the calmness of the evening increased, that had the Enemy but taken due advantage of it by shells from Mortar-boats or from Amak Island, the greatest mischief might have ensued. They threw two or three about eight P.M., which served to show that we were within range ... Our Guard-boats were actively employed between us and the Enemy, and Captain Hardy even rowed to their leading ship; sounding around her ...
On board the Elephant, the night of the 1st of April ... As soon as the Fleet was at anchor, the gallant Nelson sat down to table with a large party of his comrades in arms. He was in the highest spirits, and drank to a leading wind, and to the success of the ensuing day. Captains Foley, Hardy, Fremantle, Riou, Inman, his Lordship's Second in Command, Admiral Graves, and a few others to whom he was particular attached, were of this interesting party; from which every man separated with feelings of admiration for their great leader, and with anxious impatience to follow him to the approaching Battle. ...”
Nicolas was correct in stating the narrative was
not included in Clarke and M’Arthur’s book, however he
may have been incorrect in his postulation that is was prepared by Stewart. See above
1808?–Narrative entry.
1897 - MahanFrom 1893 until 1895, Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan, was in command of the USS Chicago, flagship of the USN European Station. He was already famous as a naval strategist and historian (including his writing of papers on Nelson). In May and June of 1894 his ship visited Gravesend on the Thames. Mahan was feted in London society and he received honorary degrees from Oxford and Cambridge.
Thomas Davidson would have been aware of the Mahan’s works and they may have even met at one of the social or academic events during Mahan’s 1894 visit.
In Mahan’s 1897 “
The Life of Nelson, The Embodiment of the Sea Power of Great Britain”, he includes the following historical details of the evening before the Battle of Copenhagen:
Quote:
"On board the Elephant," writes Stewart, who with his soldiers had followed Nelson from the "St. George," "the night of the 1st of April was an important one. As soon as the fleet was at anchor, the gallant Nelson sat down to table with a large party of his comrades in arms. He was in the highest spirits, and drank to a leading wind and to the success of the ensuing day. Captains Foley, Hardy, Freemantle, Riou, Inman, Admiral Graves, his Lordship's second in command, and a few others to whom he was particularly attached, were of this interesting party; from which every man separated with feelings of admiration for their great leader, and with anxious impatience to follow him to the approaching battle.”
With the exception of the specific attribution of the narrative to Stewart; Mahan’s historical description of the dinner is identical to that written by Nicolas (1884). Mahan also implicitly accepts Nicolas’ postulation that the circa 1808 “
Narrative of Events ...” was written by Stewart.
1898 – Royal Academy“
The Evening before the Battle of Copenhagen” was exhibited by Thomas Davidson in 1898 at the Royal Academy, London. “
The Royal Academy of Arts, A Complete Dictionary of Contributors and their work from its foundation in 1769 to 1904”, by Algernon Graves, records that this exhibition included the following details with attribution to Alfred Thayer Mahan:
Quote:
“The evening before the Battle of Copenhagen, Nelson sat down to table with Admiral Graves, second in command and Captains Foley, Hardy, Fremantle, Riou, Inman, Col Stewart and a few others; Nelson drank to the success of the ensuing day. -- Mahan”
It is interesting to note that in the historical details for his painting, Davidson
included Stewart at the dinner and
removed the reference to Nelson toasting a “
leading wind”.
Davidson’s decision in attributing the historical narrative to Mahan’s popular 1897 book may have been to quote a respected source for the historical accuracy of his painting, where some historians may have raised questions. Another possibility is that it was just a good business decision related to the as yet unsold and unpublished painting. (Engravings of Davidson’s “
Nelson’s Last Signal at Trafalgar” had been recently published by Arthur Lucas of New Bond Street.)
1901? – FairbairnA print of the painting was published with a credit indicating that the “
original was in the possession of Sir Arthur H. Fairbairn, Bt”. My guess is that this print was probably published in about 1901 to coincide with the centenary of the Battle of Copenhagen. The sales of this print would have introduced the general public to Davidson’s interpretation of the historical details.
Davidson (1842-1919) and Fairbairn (1852–1915) were contemporaries and both were deaf mutes and active supporters of the Royal Association for the Deaf in the 1890s. Lord Fairbairn’s acquisition of the original painting from Davidson may have been motivated by a possible family connection to the Battle of Copenhagen. A Lieutenant named Jonathan Fairbairn served on HMS London during the battle.
End of Part 2