Vice-Admiral of the White Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British Royal Navy officer whose leadership, grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics led to multiple decisive British naval victories during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest admirals in history.

Nelson was born into a moderately prosperous Norfolk family and joined the British Royal Navy in 1771 through the prominent influence of his uncle Maurice Suckling, a high-ranking naval officer. Developing a reputation for valour and a firm grasp of tactics, Nelson obtained his first command in 1778 but suffered bouts of illness and after the American War of Independence ended in 1783 was put on half-pay. Britain's entry into the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793 allowed him to return to active service and participate in the siege of Toulon and invasion of Corsica, the latter of which resulted in Nelson partially losing sight in one eye. Rising rapidly through the ranks, in 1797 Nelson distinguished himself at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent and shortly afterwards took part in an attack on Santa Cruz de Tenerife at which he lost his right arm, forcing him to return to England, UK, to recuperate. In 1798 Nelson won a decisive victory at the Battle of the Nile but subsequently became involved in Neapolitan politics and began an affair with Emma Hamilton, both of which severely damaged his reputation in the navy, leading to a period of inactivity.

In 1801 Nelson was sent to the Baltic Sea and helped to break up the Second League of Armed Neutrality by defeating a Danish fleet at the Battle of Copenhagen. His career was again interrupted by the Peace of Amiens in 1802 but after the Napoleonic Wars began in 1803 Nelson soon resumed active service. He commanded the British fleet which blockaded a Franco-Spanish fleet at Toulon, and after the allied fleet escaped pursued it to the West Indies and back but failed to bring about a battle. After a brief return to England, Nelson took over the British fleet blockading Cádiz in 1805. On 21 October the Franco-Spanish fleet in Cádiz came out of port, and Nelson's fleet engaged them at the Battle of Trafalgar. The battle was a decisive British victory, but Nelson, aboard , was fatally wounded by a French marksmen. His body was brought back to England, UK, where he was accorded a state funeral in London.

Nelson's death at Cape Trafalgar well secured his position as one of Britain's national heroes. His signal just prior to the commencement of the battle, "England expects that every man will do his duty", has been widely quoted and paraphrased. Numerous monuments, including Nelson's Column at Trafalgar Square in London and the Nelson Monument in Edinburgh, have been created to honour him. In 2002 Nelson was named among the 100 Greatest Britons of all time.

Early life

Horatio Nelson was born on 29 September 1758 at a rectory in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, England; the sixth of eleven children of the Reverend Edmund Nelson and his wife Catherine Suckling. He was named "Horatio" after his godfather Horatio Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford. Horatio Walpole was a nephew of Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, the de facto first prime minister of Great Britain. Nelson retained a strong Christian faith throughout his life. Nelson's maternal uncle Maurice Suckling was a high-ranking naval officer, and is believed to have had a major impact on Nelson's life.

Nelson attended Paston Grammar School in North Walsham until he was 12 years old, and also attended King Edward VI's Grammar School in Norwich. His naval career began on 1 January 1771, when he reported to the third-rate as an ordinary seaman and coxswain under Suckling, who commanded the vessel. Shortly after reporting aboard, Nelson was appointed a midshipman and began officer training. Early in his service, Nelson discovered he experienced seasickness, a chronic issue he experienced for the rest of his life.

East and West Indies, 1771–1780 Raisonnable was commissioned during a period of tension with Spain, but when it passed, Suckling was transferred to the Nore guardship . Nelson was dispatched to serve aboard the West Indiaman Mary Ann of the merchant shipping firm Hibbert, Purrier and Horton, in order to gain experience at sea. He sailed from Medway in Kent on 25 July 1771, heading to Jamaica and Tobago, and returning to Plymouth on 7 July 1772. He crossed the Atlantic twice before returning to serve under his uncle as the commander of his longboat, which carried sailors and dispatches to and from shore. Nelson then learnt of a planned expedition commanded by Constantine Phipps, intended to survey a passage in the Arctic by which it was hoped India could be reached: the fabled North-East Passage.

At his nephew's request, Suckling arranged for Nelson to join the expedition as coxswain, under Commander Skeffington Lutwidge aboard the converted bomb vessel, . The expedition reached within ten degrees of the North Pole, however, unable to find a way through the dense ice floes, it was forced to turn back. By 1800, Lutwidge had begun to circulate a story that Nelson spotted and pursued a polar bear while the ship was trapped in the ice, before he was ordered to return to the ship. Later, in 1809, Lutwidge said Nelson and a companion gave chase to the bear and upon being questioned why, replied: "I wished, Sir, to get the skin for my father." Nelson briefly returned to Triumph after the expedition returned to Britain in September 1773. Suckling then arranged for his transfer to ; one of two ships about to sail for the East Indies.

Nelson sailed for the East Indies on 19 November 1773, and arrived at the British outpost at Madras on 25 May 1774. Nelson and Seahorse spent the rest of the year cruising off the coast and escorting merchantmen. With the outbreak of the First Anglo-Maratha War, the British fleet operated in support of the East India Company. In early 1775, Seahorse was dispatched to carry a cargo of the company's money to Bombay. On 19 February, two of Hyder Ali's ketches attacked Seahorse, which drove them off after a brief exchange of fire. This was Nelson's first experience of battle. Nelson spent the rest of the year escorting convoys and continued to develop his navigation and ship handling skills. In early 1776, he contracted malaria and became seriously ill. He was discharged from Seahorse on 14 March and returned to England aboard . Nelson spent the six-month voyage recuperating and had almost recovered by the time he arrived in Britain in September. His patron Suckling had risen to the post of Comptroller of the Navy in 1775, and used his influence to help Nelson gain further promotion. Nelson was appointed acting lieutenant aboard , which was about to sail to Gibraltar.

Worcester, commanded by Captain Mark Robinson, sailed as a convoy escort on 3 December, and returned with another convoy in April 1777. Nelson then travelled to London to take his lieutenant's examination on 9 April; his examining board consisted of Captains John Campbell, Abraham North, and his uncle Suckling. Nelson passed the examination, and the next day received his commission and an appointment to , which was preparing to sail to Jamaica under Captain William Locker. She sailed on 16 May, arrived on 19 July, and after reprovisioning, carried out several cruises in Caribbean waters. After the outbreak of the American War of Independence, Lowestoffe took several prizes, one of which was taken into Navy service as Little Lucy. Nelson asked for and was given command of her, and took her on two cruises of his own.

As well as giving him his first command, it gave Nelson the opportunity to explore his fledgling interest in science. During his first cruise commanding Little Lucy, Nelson led an expedition to the Caicos Islands, where he made detailed notes of the wildlife, and in particular a bird now believed to be the white-necked jacobin. Locker, impressed by Nelson's abilities, recommended him to the new commander-in-chief at Jamaica, Sir Peter Parker. Parker duly took Nelson onto his flagship . The entry of the French into the war in support of the Americans meant further targets for Parker's fleet. It took many prizes towards the end of 1778, which brought Nelson an estimated £400 () in prize money. Parker appointed him as master and commander of the brig on 8 December.

Nelson and Badger spent most of 1779 cruising off of the Central American coast, ranging as far as the British settlements at British Honduras (present day Belize), and Nicaragua, but without much success at interception of enemy prizes. On his return to Port Royal, he learnt Parker had promoted him to post-captain on 11 June, and intended to give him another command. Nelson handed over the Badger to Cuthbert Collingwood while he awaited the arrival of his new ship: the 28-gun frigate , newly captured from the French. While Nelson waited, news reached Parker of a French fleet commanded by Charles Hector, comte d'Estaing approaching Jamaica. Parker hastily organised his defences and had placed Nelson in command of the huge Fort Charles, which covered the approaches to Kingston. D'Estaing instead headed north, as he was ordered to besiege Savannah, and the anticipated invasion never materialised.

Nelson took command of the Hinchinbrook on 1 September 1779. Hinchinbrook sailed from Port Royal on 5 October and, in company with other British ships, proceeded to capture a number of American prizes. On his return to Jamaica in December, Nelson began to be troubled by recurrent attacks of malaria. Nelson remained in the West Indies in order to take part in Major-General John Dalling's attempt to capture the Spanish colonies in Central America, including an assault on the Fortress of the Immaculate Conception on the San Juan River in Nicaragua. In February 1780, Hinchinbrook sailed from Jamaica as an escort for Dalling's invasion force. After sailing up the mouth of the San Juan River, Nelson's expeditionary force obtained the surrender of the Fortress of the Immaculate Conception and its 160 Spanish defenders after a two-week siege. Despite this initial success, the British forces never reached Lake Nicaragua and, decimated by yellow fever, were forced to return to Jamaica. The British destroyed the fortress when they evacuated in January 1781. The failed campaign led to more than 2,500 casualties, making it the costliest British disaster of the entire war. Despite this, Nelson was praised for his efforts."Report from Colonel Polson on the capture of the fort at San Juan".

Parker recalled Nelson and gave him command of the 44-gun frigate . In 1780, Nelson fell seriously ill, possibly with dysentery, or yellow fever, in the jungles of Costa Rica, and was unable to assume command. He was taken to Kingston, Jamaica, to be nursed by "doctoress" Cubah Cornwallis. He was discharged in August and returned to Britain aboard , arriving in late November. Nelson gradually recovered over several months, and soon began agitating for a command. He was appointed to the frigate on 15 August 1781.

Command, 1781–1796

Captain of Albemarle