Battle of Copenhagen in the Napoleonic Wars 20 ships of the line (12 w/ Nelson, 8 in reserve) Denmark-Norway 7 ships of the line Battle of Copenhagen - Background: In late 1800 and early 1801, diplomatic negotiations produced the League of Armed Neutrality. Led by Russia, the League also included Denmark, Sweden, and Prussia all of which called for the ability to trade freely with France. Wishing to maintain their blockade of the French coast and concerned about losing access to Scandinavian timber and naval stores, Britain immediately began preparing to take action. In the spring of 1801, a fleet was formed at Great Yarmouth under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker with the purpose of breaking up the alliance before the Baltic Sea thawed and released the Russian fleet. Included in Parker's fleet as second-in-command was Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, then out of favor due to his activities with Emma Hamilton. Recently married to a young wife, the 64-year old Parker dithered in port and was only coaxed to sea by a personal note from First Lord of the Admiralty Lord St. Vincent.

Departing port on March 12, 1801, the fleet reached the Skaw a week later. Met there by diplomat Nicholas Vansittart, Parker and Nelson learned that the Danes had refused a British ultimatum demanding they leave the League. Battle of Copenhagen - Nelson Seeks Action: Unwilling to take decisive action, Parker proposed blockading the entrance to the Baltic despite the fact he would be outnumbered once the Russians could put to sea. Believing that Russia posed the greatest threat, Nelson fervently lobbied Parker to bypass the Danes to attack the Tsar's forces. On March 23, after a council of war, Nelson was able to secure permission to attack the Danish fleet which had concentrated at Copenhagen. Entering the Baltic, the British fleet hugged the Swedish coast to avoid fire from the Danish batteries on the opposite shore. Battle of Copenhagen - Danish Preparations: At Copenhagen, Vice Admiral Olfert Fischer prepared the Danish fleet for battle. Unready to put to sea, he anchored his ships along with several hulks in the King's Channel, near Copenhagen, to form a line of floating batteries.

The ships were supported by additional batteries on land as well as the Tre Kroner fortress at the northern end of the line, near the entrance to Copenhagen harbor. Fischer's line was also protected by the Middle Ground Shoal which separated the King's Channel from the Outer Channel. To hinder navigation in these shallow waters, all navigation aids were removed. Battle of Copenhagen - Nelson's Plan: To assault Fischer's position, Parker gave Nelson the twelve ships of the line with the shallowest drafts, as well as all of the fleet's smaller vessels. Nelson's plan called for his ships to turn into the King's Channel from the south and have each ship attack a predetermined Danish vessel. As the heavy ships engaged their targets, the frigate HMS Desiree and several brigs would rake the southern end of the Danish line. To the north, Captain Edward Riou of HMS Amazon was to lead several frigates against the Tre Kroner and land troops once it had been subdued. While his ships were fighting, Nelson planned for his small flotilla of bomb vessels to approach and fire over his line to strike the Danes. Lacking charts, Captain Thomas Hardy spent the night of March 31 covertly taking soundings near the Danish fleet.

The next morning, Nelson, flying his flag from HMS Elephant (74), ordered the attack to begin. Approaching the King's Channel, HMS Agamemnon (74) ran around on the Middle Ground Shoal. While the bulk of Nelson's ships successfully entered the channel, HMS Bellona (74) and HMS Russell (74) also ran aground. Battle of Copenhagen - Nelson Turns a Blind Eye: Adjusting his line to account for the grounded ships, Nelson engaged the Danes in a bitter three-hour battle that raged from around 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM. Though the Danes offered heavy resistance and were able to shuttle reinforcements from the shore, superior British gunnery slowly began to turn the tide. Standing offshore with the deeper draft ships, Parker was unable to accurately see the fighting. Around 1:30, thinking that Nelson had been fought to a standstill but was unable to retreat without orders, Parker ordered the signal for "break off action" hoisted. Believing that Nelson would ignore it if the situation warranted, Parker thought he was giving his subordinate an honorable reprieve.

Aboard Elephant, Nelson was stunned to see the signal and ordered it acknowledged, but not repeated. Turning to his flag captain Thomas Foley, Nelson famously exclaimed, "You know, Foley, I only have one eye — I have the right to be blind sometimes." Then holding his telescope to his blind eye, he continued, "I really do not see the signal!" Of Nelson's captains, only Riou, who could not see Elephant, obeyed the order. In attempting to break off fighting near the Tre Kroner, Riou was killed. Shortly thereafter, the guns towards the southern end of the Danish lines began falling silent as the British ships triumphed. By 2:00 Danish resistance had effectively ended and Nelson's bomb vessels moved into position to attack. Seeking to end the fighting, Nelson dispatched Captain Sir Frederick Thesiger ashore with a note for Crown Prince Frederik calling for a cessation of hostilities. By 4:00 PM, after further negotiations, a 24-hour ceasefire was agreed upon. Battle of Copenhagen - Aftermath: One of Nelson's great triumphs, the Battle of Copenhagen cost the British 264 dead and 689 wounded, as well as varying degrees of damage to their ships.

For the Danes, casualties were estimated at 1,600-1,800 killed and the loss nineteen ships. In the days after the battle, Nelson was able negotiate a fourteen-week armistice during which the League would be suspended and the British given free access to Copenhagen. Coupled with the assassination of Tsar Paul, the Battle of Copenhagen effectively ended the League of Armed Neutrality. Selected Sources Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson | British naval commander | Britannica.com Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson Alternative Titles: Baron Nelson of the Nile and Burnham Thorpe, Sir Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson of the Nile and Burnham Thorpe Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson Viscount Nelson of the Nile and Burnham Thorpe Baron Nelson of the Nile and Burnham Thorpe born George Canning Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson, in full Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson of the Nile and Burnham Thorpe, also called (1797–98) Sir Horatio Nelson, or (1798–1801) Baron Nelson of the Nile and Burnham Thorpe (born Sept.

29, 1758, Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk , Eng.—died Oct. 21, 1805, at sea, off Cape Trafalgar, Spain ), British naval commander in the wars with Revolutionary and Napoleonic France, who won crucial victories in such battles as those of the Nile (1798) and of Trafalgar (1805), where he was killed by enemy fire on the HMS Victory . In private life he was known for his extended love affair with Emma, Lady Hamilton, while both were married. Lord Nelson, detail of an oil painting by J.F. Rigaud; in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, … Courtesy of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, Eng. Early years Horatio Nelson was the sixth of 11 children of the village rector, Edmund Nelson, and his wife, Catherine. The Nelsons were genteel, scholarly, and poor. The family’s most important connection from which Nelson could expect preferment was that with a distant relation, Lord Walpole, the descendant of Sir Robert Walpole , who had been prime minister earlier in the century.

Decisive for Nelson’s life, however, was his mother’s brother, Captain Maurice Suckling, who was to become comptroller of the British Navy. When Horatio’s mother died, Captain Suckling agreed to take the boy to sea. Nelson’s first years in the navy were a mixture of routine experience and high adventure. The former was gained particularly in the Thames estuary, the latter in a voyage to the West Indies by merchant ship and a dangerous and unsuccessful scientific expedition to the Arctic in 1773. Nelson had his first taste of action in the Indian Ocean . Soon after, struck down by fever—probably malaria—he was invalided home, and, while recovering from the consequent depression, Nelson experienced a dramatic surge of optimism. From that moment, Nelson’s ambition, fired by patriotism tempered by the Christian compassion instilled by his father, urged him to prove himself at least the equal of his eminent kinsmen. In 1777 Nelson passed the examination for lieutenant and sailed for the West Indies, the most active theatre in the war against the American colonies .

Promoted to captain in 1779, at the early age of 20, he was given command of a frigate and took part in operations against Spanish settlements in Nicaragua , which became targets once Spain joined France in alliance with the American Revolutionaries. The attack on San Juan was militarily successful but ultimately disastrous when the British force was almost wiped out by yellow fever; Nelson himself was lucky to survive. Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent In 1783, after the end of the American Revolution, Nelson returned to England by way of France. On his return to London he was cheered by the appointment, in 1784, to command a frigate bound for the West Indies. But this was not to be a happy commission. By rigidly enforcing the Navigation Act against American ships, which were still trading with the British privileges they had officially lost, he made enemies not only among merchants and shipowners but also among the resident British authorities who, in their own interest, had failed to enforce the law. Under the strain of his difficulties and of the loneliness of command, Nelson was at his most vulnerable when he visited the island of Nevis in March 1785.

There he met Frances Nisbet, a widow, and her five-year-old son, Josiah. Nelson conducted his courtship with formality and charm, and in March 1787 the couple was married at Nevis. Returning with his bride to Burnham Thorpe, Nelson found himself without another appointment and on half pay. He remained unemployed for five years, aware of “a prejudice at the Admiralty evidently against me, which I can neither guess at, nor in the least account for”—but which may well have been connected with his enforcement of the Navigation Act. Within a few days of the execution of King Louis XVI of France in January 1793, however, he was given command of the 64-gun Agamemnon. Service in the Mediterranean British Culture and Politics From this moment, Nelson the enthusiastic professional was gradually replaced by Nelson the commander of genius. The coming months were probably his most tranquil emotionally. At home waited a loving wife, whose son he had taken to sea with him. His ship, fast and maneuverable, and his crew, superbly trained, pleased him. His task was to fight the Revolutionary French and support British allies in the Mediterranean.

Assigned to the forlorn defense of the port of Toulon against the revolutionaries—among them a 24-year-old officer of artillery, Napoleon Bonaparte—Nelson was dispatched to Naples to collect reinforcements. He later gratefully recognized that he owed the success of his mission largely to the British minister—the adroit and scholarly Sir William Hamilton , who had lived at Naples for 30 years and whose vivacious young wife, Emma , was in the queen’s confidence. Britannica Lists & Quizzes Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies When Toulon fell, Lord Hood , Nelson’s commander, moved his base to Corsica , where Nelson and his ship’s company went ashore to assist in the capture of Bastia and Calvi, where a French shot flung debris into Nelson’s face, injuring his right eye and leaving it almost sightless. At the end of 1794, Hood was replaced by the uninspiring Admiral William Hotham, who was subsequently replaced by Sir John Jervis , an officer more to Nelson’s liking.

At the age of 60, Jervis was an immensely experienced seaman who quickly recognized Nelson’s qualities and who regarded Nelson “more as an associate than a subordinate Officer.” The arrival of Jervis coincided with an upsurge of French success by land so that the British were forced to abandon their Mediterranean bases and retreat upon Gibraltar and the Tagus. Battles of Cape St. Vincent and the Nile After a rendezvous with Jervis in the Atlantic off Cape St. Vincent on the previous day, Nelson on Feb. 14, 1797, found himself sailing in mist through a Spanish fleet of 27 ships. The Spaniards were sailing in two divisions and Jervis planned to cut between the two and destroy one before the other could come to its assistance. But he had miscalculated, and it became clear that the British ships would not be able to turn quickly enough to get into action before the Spanish squadrons closed up. Without orders from Jervis, Nelson hauled out of line and attacked the head of the second Spanish division.

While the rest of Jervis’ fleet slowly turned and came up in support, Nelson held the two Spanish squadrons apart, at one time fighting seven enemy ships. The efficiency of British gunnery was decisive, and he not only boarded and captured one enemy man-of-war but, from her deck, boarded and took a second. Connect with Britannica Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest The Battle of Cape St. Vincent won for Jervis the earldom of St. Vincent and for Nelson a knighthood, which coincided with his promotion by seniority to rear admiral . His first action in command of a major independent force, however, was disastrous. In the course of an assault on Tenerife, a grapeshot shattered his right elbow, and back in his flagship the arm was amputated. In the spring of 1798 Nelson was fit enough to rejoin the Earl of St. Vincent, who assigned him to watch a French fleet waiting to embark an expeditionary force. Cruising off the port in his flagship, the Vanguard, Nelson was struck by a violent northwesterly gale that blew his squadron off station and carried the French well on their way to their destination, Egypt.

The British set out in pursuit, Nelson believing that the French were going either to Sicily or Egypt. After a somewhat confused chase the British caught up with the French squadron in the harbour at Alexandria, near the mouth of the Nile, on Aug. 1, 1798. There the British saw the harbour crowded with empty French transports and, to the east, an escorting French squadron of 13 ships anchored in a defensive line across Abū Qīr Bay near the mouths of the Nile. Once the signal to engage had been hoisted in the Vanguard, Nelson’s ships attacked the French. With the French ships immobilized, the attacking British ships could anchor and concentrate their fire on each enemy before moving on to demolish their next target. Its outcome never in doubt from its beginning at sunset, the battle raged all night. By dawn on August 2, the French squadron had been all but annihilated . The strategic consequences of the Battle of the Nile were immense, and Nelson took immediate steps to broadcast the news throughout the Mediterranean as well as hastening it to London. Nelson was made a baron in recognition of his victory at the Battle of the Nile.

Trending Topics Eyjafjallajökull volcano At Naples, the most convenient port for repairs, he was given a hero’s welcome, stage-managed by Lady Hamilton. A prolonged British naval presence in Naples was useful in supporting the shaky military strength of King Ferdinand , the one major ruler in Italy to be resisting the southward march of the French, who had already taken Rome and deposed the pope. The love affair that developed between Nelson and Emma Hamilton came at a time of crisis. With Nelson’s encouragement, King Ferdinand had indulged his own fantasies of glory and, openly joining the alliance of Great Britain, Russia, and Austria against the French, led his own insignificant army to recapture Rome. Not only was this a disastrous failure but the French counteroffensive drove him back to Naples, which itself then fell. Nelson had to evacuate the Neapolitan royal family to Sicily, and at Palermo it became obvious to all that his infatuation with Emma Hamilton was complete. She had proved herself indispensable company to him.

Blockade of Naples and battle of Copenhagen In the summer of 1799, Nelson’s squadron supported Ferdinand’s successful attempt to recapture Naples, but word of his dalliance with Emma had reached the Admiralty, and his superiors began to lose patience. Bonaparte had escaped from Egypt to France, and the French still held Malta when Lord Keith, who had replaced St. Vincent as commander in chief, decided that the enemy’s next objective would be Minorca. Nelson was ordered to that island with all available ships but refused on the grounds that he expected the threat to be toward Naples. Events justified him, but to disobey orders so blatantly was unforgivable. The Admiralty, also angered by his acceptance of the dukedom of Bronte in Sicily from King Ferdinand, sent him an icy order to return home. In 1800 he returned, but across the continent in company with the Hamiltons. When the curious little party landed in England, it was at once clear that he was the nation’s hero, and his progress to London was triumphal. Nelson was promoted to vice admiral in January 1801.

Emma was pregnant by him when he was appointed second in command to the elderly admiral Sir Hyde Parker, who was to command an expedition to the Baltic. Shortly before sailing, Nelson heard that Emma had borne him a daughter named Horatia. Parker’s fleet sailed for the first objective, Copenhagen , early in 1801. At first Nelson’s advice was not sought; then, as Danish resistance became increasingly likely, he could record, “Now we are sure of fighting, I am sent for.” By the stratagem of taking the fleet’s ships of shallower draught through a difficult channel, Nelson bypassed the shore batteries covering the city’s northern approaches. The next morning, April 2, he led his squadron into action. There was to be no room for tactical brilliance; only superior gunnery would tell. The Danes resisted bravely, and Parker, fearing that Nelson was suffering unacceptable losses, hoisted the signal to disengage. Nelson disregarded it, and, an hour later, victory was his; the Danish ships lay shattered and silent, their losses amounting to some 6,000 dead and wounded, six times heavier than those of the British.

Before this success could be followed by similar attacks on the other potential enemies, Tsar Paul of Russia died and the threat faded. Parker was succeeded by Nelson, who at last became a commander in chief. He was also made a viscount . The Admiralty, well aware of his popular appeal, now made maximum use of it by giving him a home command. At once he planned an ambitious attack on the naval base of Boulogne in order to foil a possible French invasion. He did not take part himself, and the operation was a gory failure. A second attempt was abandoned because of peace negotiations with France, and in March 1802 the Treaty of Amiens was signed. At last there was time to enjoy the fruits of his victories. Emma had, on Nelson’s instructions, bought an elegant country house, Merton Place, near London, and transformed it into an expensive mirror for their vanities. At last her husband rebelled, but it was too late for change, and he appeared reconciled to his lot when, early in 1803, he died with his wife and her lover at his side.

Victory at Trafalgar Bonaparte was known to be preparing for renewed war, and, two days before it broke out, Nelson, in May 1803, was given command in the Mediterranean, hoisting his flag in the Victory. Once again he was to blockade Toulon, now with the object of preventing a rendezvous between the French ships there with those at Brest in the Atlantic and, after Spain declared war on Britain , with Spanish ships from Cartagena and Cádiz . A combined force of that size could well enable Bonaparte to invade England; and in early 1805, Napoleon, who the previous year had crowned himself emperor, ordered the fleets to converge for this purpose. The French and Spanish squadrons were to burst through the British blockade; run for the West Indies; and after ravaging British possessions and trade, return across the Atlantic in a single invincible fleet to destroy the British near Ushant, an island off Brittany, and take control of the English Channel while it was crossed by an invading army of 350,000.

In March, Admiral Pierre Villeneuve , who was to be in overall command, broke out of Toulon under cover of bad weather and disappeared. Nelson set off in pursuit. Villeneuve cut short his marauding, but his fleet was intercepted and damaged by a British squadron. Failing to win control of the English Channel, he ran south to Cádiz. Nelson put into Gibraltar, made dispositions for the blockade of Cádiz, and returned to England. During his 25 days at home, he planned the strategy for the confrontation with the Franco-Spanish fleets that seemed inevitable; 34 enemy ships were blockaded in Cádiz by smaller numbers under Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood. Although Napoleon, abandoning the plan of a cross-Channel invasion, began to redeploy the Grand Army, in Britain the danger of invasion seemed as pressing as ever, and Nelson appeared the country’s hope. When his orders came, Nelson on September 15 sailed in the Victory. He was now at the height of his professional powers. Worshiped by his officers and sailors alike, he was confident that his captains understood his tactical thinking so well that the minimum of consultation would be required.

On his 47th birthday he dined 15 captains in his flagship and outlined his plans to bring on a “pell-mell battle” in which British gunnery and offensive spirit would be decisive. He planned to advance on the Franco-Spanish fleets in two divisions to break their line and destroy them piecemeal. This was the final abandonment of the traditionally rigid tactics of fighting in line of battle. After receiving Napoleon’s orders that he must break the blockade, Villeneuve, on October 20, sailed out of Cádiz. At dawn next day, the Franco-Spanish fleets were silhouetted against the sunrise off Cape Trafalgar, and the British began to form the two divisions in which they were to fight, one led by Nelson, the other by Collingwood. As the opposing fleets closed, Nelson made his famous signal, “England expects that every man will do his duty.” The Battle of Trafalgar raged at its fiercest around the Victory, and a French sniper, firing from the mast of the Redoutable, shot Nelson through the shoulder and chest. He was carried below to the surgeon, and it was soon clear that he was dying.

When told that 15 enemy ships had been taken, he replied, “That is well, but I had bargained for 20.” Thomas Hardy , his flag captain, kissed his forehead in farewell and Nelson spoke his last words, “Now I am satisfied. Thank God, I have done my duty.” Although the victory of Trafalgar finally made Britain safe from invasion, it was, at the time, overshadowed by the news of Nelson’s death. A country racked with grief gave him a majestic funeral in St. Paul’s Cathedral, and his popularity was recorded in countless monuments, streets, and inns named after him and, eventually, in the preservation at Portsmouth of the Victory. Emma Hamilton and his daughter, however, were ignored. Emma died, almost destitute , in Calais nine years later. Horatia, showing her father’s resilience , married a clergyman in Norfolk and became the mother of a large and sturdy family. Assessment Nelson had finally broken the unimaginative strategic and tactical doctrines of the previous century and taught individual officers to think for themselves. His flair and forcefulness as a commander in battle were decisive factors in his two major victories—the battles of the Nile and Trafalgar.

In the former, he had destroyed the French fleet upon which Napoleon Bonaparte had based his hopes of Eastern conquest, and in the latter he had destroyed the combined French and Spanish fleets, thus ensuring the safety of the British Isles from invasion and the supremacy of British sea power for more than a century. Spectacular success in battle, combined with his humanity as a commander and his scandalous private life, raised Nelson to godlike status in his lifetime, and after his death at Trafalgar in 1805, he was enshrined in popular myth and iconography. He is still generally accepted as the most appealing of Britain’s national heroes. Horatio Nelson - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) (1758-1805). In the center of London’s Trafalgar Square stands a column topped by a statue of Admiral Nelson. The square was named in honor of Lord Nelson’s victory in the battle of Trafalgar (1805). Nelson was one of England’s great naval heroes. His brilliant victories during the Napoleonic wars averted the growing threat of French naval power and saved England from invasion.

As a commander, he was known for his forcefulness, courage, and flair. His ingenious tactics broke with Britain’s tradition of fighting with all its ships lined up in a column, a formation called the line of battle. Article Contributors Who was Horatio Nelson? - History's HEROES from E2BN Things you may not know about Horatio Nelson Nelson's great-great uncle was the first Prime Minister of England. More Nelson’s mother’s grandmother was Sir Robert Walpole’s sister. Walpole was Britain’s first Prime Minister, who served in the reigns of George I and George II. Horatio Nelson was also known as Horace Nelson. More He may have been named after his uncle Horace Walpole. His family always called him Horace and he signed many documents using this name. He was a sickly baby and was baptised quickly because of fears over his health. More He was publicly baptised on 15th November 1758, having been privately baptised 10 days after his birth owing to fears about his weak health. When he arrived at his first ship he paced about all day ignored by everyone. More His uncle was not on board when Nelson arrived to join his first ship, the Raisonnable.

It wasn’t until the next day that it was discovered he was the captain's nephew and was to be midshipman. Nelson was a life-long sufferer from seasickness. More He sailed the seas for more than 30 years and, in that time, he suffered from seasickness on pretty much every voyage. He almost died trying to shoot a polar bear. More In 1773, whilst on a voyage to the Arctic, Nelson’s shot missed a polar bear and the animal turned on him. Luckily someone on the ship fired a cannon at that moment, causing the bear to turn and Nelson had a lucky escape. When he was 17 he had a vision that he would be a hero during a serious illness. More In 1776, he was on a voyage in the Indian Ocean when malaria first struck him down. Whilst returning to England on the Dolphin, during his delirium, he had a vision of a radiant guiding orb and a premonition that he would become a hero. He suffered many illnesses on his voyages but always wanted to return to sea. More In San Juan, in 1780, Nelson suffered from dysentery, yellow fever and food poisoning all at once.

The food poisoning had come from drinking water into which the fruit of the Manchineel tree had fallen. The fruit looks like a small apple and has a sweet smell and a pleasant taste, but can be deadly. On returning to Britain Nelson, almost without use of his limbs, insisted on being carried immediately to the admiralty to apply for another ship. He told one of his relations, “this they readily promised me thinking it not possible for me to live”. Nelson's first love was Mary Simpson. More He met 16 year old Mary in 1781, in Quebec, and fell so passionately for her that he nearly disobeyed his Navy orders to stay with her. Then, in St. Omer, in 1783 he met clergyman’s daughter, Elizabeth Andrews, whom he hoped to marry but Miss Andrews turned down his proposal. He also became close to Mary Moutray, the Antigua dockyard commissioner’s wife, before meeting Frances Nisbet in 1785 whom he married, at Nevis, in 1787.

Other love interests included opera singer Adelaide Correglia, who became his mistress whilst he was visiting Leghorn in 1796 and, of course, Emma Hamilton whom he began an affair with in 1798. The affair with Emma would last for the rest of his life. When Nelson married Frances, the Prince William Henry (later King William) gave the bride away. More In November 1786 Nelson was joined in the West Indies by Prince William Henry, now captain of HMS Pegasus. The prince served under Nelson and, finding the date of Nelson’s wedding, gave the bride away on 11th March 1787 at Montpelier, Nevis. Nelson was a bit of a 'spin doctor'. More After the press failed to report his role in the successful campaigns in Corsica in 1794, Nelson was keen to ensure this did not happen again. During his career, if he did well in a battle or other situation, he would write to people he knew at the newspapers to make sure they got his version of the story. For example, after the battle of St.

Vincent when all the men were equally praised by the Admiral, Nelson sent his own account to his friend, Captain Locker, for publication in the press and it was Nelson’s heroics that captured the public imagination. His stepson saved his life. More When Nelson got his appointment to the Agamemnon in January 1793, Josiah Nesbit, Frances's son, joined him as midshipman. He probably saved Nelson life by applying a tourniquet to his shattered arm preventing blood loss when Nelson was shot, although Josiah did not turn out to be much of a commander and was eventually paid off by the Navy in 1800. His method of command was known as 'the Nelson touch'. More He based his command on love rather than authority, inspiring both his superiors and his subordinates with his considerable courage, commitment and charisma: dubbed 'the Nelson touch'. He had a dry sense of humour - often at his own expense. More A good example took place in 1800 at Great Yarmouth. Nelson and his entourage arrived amidst much public rejoicing and Nelson was offered Freedom of the Borough by the Mayor.

When asked to take the oath, he placed his left hand on the Bible. Shocked, the official said, "Your right hand, My Lord!". "That," Nelson replied, "is at Tenerife." One of the secrets of Nelson's success as a commander was that he brought his subordinates into his confidence. More Nelson shared his plans with his subordinates and discussed them in detail. Most senior officers just gave out orders, which could be misunderstood, but under Nelson, all his subordinates knew exactly what he wanted them to do, and they did it to the best of their ability because they felt that he had shown them respect. Nelson gave rise to the saying ‘to turn a blind eye’. More The Battle of Copenhagen in April 1801 was fiercely fought. On seeing that no ground was being made, the British Commander-in-Chief, Sir Hyde Parker, signalled that the fleet should retreat. Nelson famously put a telescope to his blind eye and declared "I really did not see the signal." The rest of the fleet copied him in disobeying orders, the battle continued and the British were victorious. This led to the phrase still used today. His affair with Emma Hamilton resulted in the birth of two children.

More His daughter Horatia was born in 1801 and a second child, Emma, was born early 1803 but sadly died of chickenpox whilst only a baby. Nelson never saw her but was devastated by her death. He was known for leading from the front and engaging in hand-to-hand combat. More Nelson often led boarding parties and would get involved in vicious hand-to-hand fighting. For example, in 1797, at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, Nelson led a British boarding party onto two of the Spanish ships to claim them as prizes. He attacked the San Josef and then the San Nicolas. Nelson's men fought so hard that it was not long until the two Spanish captains handed over their swords to him. Nelson lost most of his teeth after contracting scurvy in 1782. More Whilst they were voyaging over the Atlantic, Nelson and his crew came down with scurvy. They had had no fresh fruit or vegetables for some weeks. Scurvy attacks the gums and loosens the teeth. By the time he died Nelson had lost most of his teeth. Because of this, Nelson fought to eradicate scurvy from his ships in later voyages.

Horatio and Emma adopted their own child as an orphan. More Horatia was christened on the 18th May 1803, after the death of Emma's husband, at St. Marylebone Parish Church. Emma and Horatio were the 'godparents'. Vice-Admiral Charles Thompson of Portsmouth dockyard agreed to be named as Horatia's father. Her natural parents then later adopted her as an orphan. Nelson never wore an eye patch. More Nelson lost the sight of his right eye at the Siege of Calvi in Corsica in 1794, when a French cannon ball hit the ramparts in front of him, sending a shower of stones and sand into his face. The sand blinded Nelson in his right eye. There is no evidence that he ever wore an eye patch and his eye looked quite normal. All the portraits and accounts confirm this. After 1801, he did however wear a green eye shade above his eyes to shield the good eye from sunlight. He wanted victory at any cost could sometimes be reckless. More For Nelson it was death or victory.

At the Battle of the Nile in 1798, for example, he proclaimed, "Before this time tomorrow I shall have gained a Peerage or Westminster Abbey": that is he would either be rewarded for his victory or be a dead hero to be buried with honour. He would drive his ships so close to the enemy that the cannons were almost pushing through the sides of the other ship and he would pursue battle even when outnumbered or outgunned. He ignored orders and took risks. More At the Battle of Cape St. Vincent (with only 15 British ships fighting 22 Spanish ships), Nelson did the unthinkable and on his own initiative ordered his ship, the HMS Captain, out of line and straight towards the escaping Spanish ships, which surrounded and fired at her. HMSs Excellent, Culloden and Blenheim went to the assistance of the surrounded ship. The action that ensued was fierce. HMS Captain was shot to bits but Nelson boarded and captured two Spanish ships. On another occasion at The Battle of Copenhagen he pretended he did not see a signal to withdraw and went on to secure victory. He cared for the ordinary sailors and his captains (his "band of brothers").

More For example, just before the Battle of Trafalgar he came across a sailor crying. Nelson asked him what the matter was and the sailor said that he hadn't managed to write his letter to his wife in time before the boat with the Victory's post had left for home. Nelson immediately ordered the boat back to the ship and had the letter put on the boat. The 'band of brothers' was Nelson's name for the captains who fought under him at the battle of the Nile in 1798. Nelson's body was pickled in brandy. More When sailors died, they were usually buried at sea, otherwise the bodies would rot and cause disease. To keep Nelson's body for burial in London, it was put into a barrel of brandy and the alcohol preserved it until it was able to be taken back to England. Nelson's coffin was given to him as a present. More It was made from the mast of Napoleon's warship 'L'Orient' which Nelson had sunk off the shores of Egypt in 1798 and was sent to him as a present by Captain Benjamin Hallowell, who had also been at the battle, with the wish that he would not need it for a long time.

It is said that Nelson was so pleased with it that he kept in his cabin at all times. He was indeed buried in it at St. Paul's Cathedral. Emma Hamilton was refused permission to attend Nelson's funeral. More His affair with Emma Hamilton was so disapproved of by the government that Emma was denied permission to attend Nelson's funeral and the instructions Nelson left to the government to provide for Emma and Horatia were not carried out; instead they gave honours and money to his brother. One of Nelson's last wishes was that Horatia should take the name Nelson. More He left her £200 a year in his will and added, "I leave to the beneficence of my country my adopted daughter Horatia Nelson Thompson, and I desire she will use in future the name of Nelson only". Soon after Horatio’s death Emma and her daughter spent 10 months in a prison cell. More This was the result of Emma's financial difficulties. Emma moved to France and when she died in January 1815, Horatia made the funeral arrangements with the British Consul and then returned to England disguised as a boy so as to escape arrest for the debts.

Though Horatia soon learnt of her real father and agreed to his wish to take his name, she never knew that Emma was her real mother. Horatio Nelson in brief my greatest happiness is to serve my gracious King and Country and I am envious only of glory; for if it be a sin to covet glory I am the most offending soul alive. Horatio Nelson was the most famous admiral of the Napoleonic Wars who has been celebrated ever since as the greatest sea warrior in British history. Although a small and sickly child, Nelson went to sea when he was just 12 years old. Despite persistent seasickness, his career flourished as he moved from ship to ship in the East Indies and the Caribbean, showing a flair for naval strategy. He became one of the youngest ever captains in the Royal Navy. He saw active service in the American War of Independence, in the wars of the French Revolution and in battles in the East Indies, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, winning the hearts of the English people reading about his exploits. Nelson was also one of the most loved leaders amongst the seamen of the Royal Navy and fought side by side with his crews during many of the battles.

However, his personal life came to be as well known as his military career. His left his marriage to Lady Nelson, formerly Frances Nisbet, to live with his mistress, Lady Hamilton, and their child. The most famous battles of Horatio Nelson's career, the Nile, Copenhagen and Trafalgar, came later in his career, when he was a senior commander. Nothing created the figure we recognise as Nelson, on monuments around the world, more than the Battle of Trafalgar. This was the greatest naval victory in British history. Before the battle Nelson sent a signal in semaphore to his fleet: "England expects that every man will do his duty." Nelson died in the battle; his last words were "Thank God I have done my duty." When the news of his death reached England, the king wept, as did thousands of ordinary citizens, who lined the route of his funeral. Throughout his naval career, Nelson was wounded many times in combat, losing an arm and the sight in his right eye. As a person he could be vain, thoughtless and even, at times, reckless in his ruthless desire for recognition and glory. He showed little pity to those who crossed him.

But he was also enthusiastic, eager and patriotic, as well as brave. He was noted for his ability to inspire and bring out the best in his men. His qualities, good and bad, set him apart from his contemporaries and are the reason that he is still remembered today. Lady Hamilton's 'come-on' poem to Lord Nelson to go under hammer | UK news | The Guardian Royal Navy Lady Hamilton's 'come-on' poem to Lord Nelson to go under hammer Verse from naval hero's lover congratulates him on victory at sea – but experts believe it may have sexual overtones Engraving copied from portrait painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds of Lady Hamilton, who became Lord Nelson's lover.

Photograph: Time Life Pictures/Getty Images Royal Navy Lady Hamilton's 'come-on' poem to Lord Nelson to go under hammer Verse from naval hero's lover congratulates him on victory at sea – but experts believe it may have sexual overtones Tuesday 8 March 2011 13.05 EST First published on Tuesday 8 March 2011 13.05 EST Close This article is 5 years old A poem written by Lady Hamilton for Horatio Nelson that seems to praise his qualities as a warrior – and possibly as a lover – is to be auctioned. Entitled Veni Vidi Vici, the short poem is thought to be in part a celebration of Nelson's valour at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801. But experts believe it is also a "come on" from Hamilton, with whom Nelson had a six-year affair that was the biggest scandal of the age.

The poem reads: "Two Thirds of Cesars boasted-Fame / Thou Nelson must Resign / to Come & see was parkers Claim / to conquer only Thine" The title, of course, comes from the "I came, I saw, I conquered" statement attributed to Julius Caesar following one of his victories. The "parker" is believed to refer to Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, who in 1801 led a British fleet that defeated a Danish-Norwegian force anchored just off Copenhagen. It was during the battle that Nelson famously ignored a signal to retreat by holding his telescope to his blind eye, after which the British fleet began to overpower its enemy. A spokesman for Bonhams of London, which is selling the poem, said it could be interpreted in different ways. "On the surface, the little verse means what it says – Parker venied and vedied but it was Nelson who actually did the important part and vicied," said the spokesman. "Having said that, the last line could certainly be seen as having a double meaning. Perhaps a congratulations telegram with a come-on at the end?" Nelson and Hamilton met in 1793, after which their relationship scandalised polite society because both were married.

Nelson, Lady Hamilton and her husband, Sir William Hamilton, travelled and socialised together, dubbing themselves the "Tria". Nelson was married at the time and eventually left his wife, Fanny, for Hamilton at about the time she wrote the poem. Four years after the verse was written, Nelson was killed on board HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar as he defeated the combined French and Spanish navies. The spokesman for Bonhams said: "This note is a memento from the height of the pair's relationship and while its meaning might be cryptic, it is an important piece of history." British collector Ray Davids, who acquired the verse several years ago, is now selling it along with 500 other important and historical items. The small piece of paper is mounted on card to which someone has added the words: "Epigram on the Battle of Copenhagen composed by and in the handwriting of Lady Hamilton." Davids, from London, said: "The verse has an inscription saying it was written after the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801. "It mentions the name Parker, which might be referring to Sir Hyde Parker, Nelson's superior at the battle.

It really is a riddle and it would be great to unriddle it." The verse is expected to fetch up to £1,500 when it goes under the hammer on 29 March. Nelson’s Eye and the Battle of Copenhagen | Knowledge Guild Nelson’s Eye and the Battle of Copenhagen Posted on by Kuba The Battle of Copenhagen (Danish: slaget på Reden) was an engagement which saw a British fleet under the command of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker fight and strategically defeat a Danish-Norwegian fleet anchored just off Copenhagen on 2 April 1801. Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson led the main attack. Copenhagen is often considered to be Nelson’s hardest-fought battle which was won much to his credit. The battle is perhaps best known for his famous ‘mistake’ to miss Admiral Parker’s orders using the telescope with his wrong eye. Nicholas Pocock’s The Battle of Copenhagen At 1:00 pm Admiral Parker held the back rank in order to engage in a flank attack.

He would have been able to see little of the main battle owing to gun smoke, though he could see the signals on the three grounded British ships, with the Bellona and Russell flying signals of distress and the Agamemnon a signal of inability to proceed. Parker was under the impression that Nelson might have fought to a stand-still at the frontine and was unable to retreat without orders. Retreating without orders was unforgivable for a British Naval officer since the Articles of War demanded that all ranks do their utmost against the enemy in battle. At 1:30pm Parker told his flag captain, “I will make the signal of recall for Nelson’s sake. If he is in condition to continue the action, he will disregard it; if he is not, it will be an excuse for his retreat and no blame can be imputed to him.” Nelson ordered that the signal be acknowledged, but not repeated. Supposedly he turned to his flag Captain, Foley, and said “You know, Foley, I only have one eye — I have the right to be blind sometimes,” and then, history would have us believe that while holding his telescope to his blind eye, Nelson said “I really do not see the signal!”.

Nelson’s second-in-command, Rear Admiral Thomas Graves, repeated the signal, but in a place invisible to most other ships while keeping Nelson’s ‘close action’ signal at his masthead. It remains unclear whether Rear Admiral Graves used this cloak and dagger approach on Nelson’s orders, deliberately flying the signal flags to retreat in a place where almost no other ship could see. Only captain Riou, who could not see Nelson’s flagship, the Elephant, followed Admiral Parker’s signal to retreat. Riou withdrew his force, which was then attacking the Danish Tre Kroner fortress. Riou exposed himself to heavy fire and was killed in the retreat. However, it was at this time that the battle swung decisively to the British, as their superior gunnery took effect. The guns of the dozen southernmost Danish ships had started to fall silent owing to the damage they had sustained, and the fighting moved northward. According to British eyewitness accounts, much of the Danish line had fallen silent by 2pm. The decisive crush was made at the time when Nelson ‘ignored’ Admiral Parker’s signal.

Since then The Battle of Copenhagen would be mentioned in history as the naval battle that was won because Nelson ‘held the telescope to his wrong eye’ and in doing so missed Parker’s signal. Share this: The Parkers: a naval dynasty | National Trust The Parkers: a naval dynasty Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, 5th Bt (1714-1782) by George Romney John Hammond Sir Harry Parker, 6th Baronet, was the first owner of Melford Hall. He belonged to a distinguished naval family. From the Seven Years' War in the 1750s until WWII five generations fought, and died, at sea for their country. The start of a tradition Vice-Admiral Sir Hyde Parker I, 5th Baronet, (1713-83), Sir Harry’s father, began his career as a merchant seaman. He joined the Royal Navy aged 24 and took his first command at the age of 29. In 1744, at the age of just 31, he sailed with Anson on his voyage around the world.

Following the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in 1756, he was sent to the Indian Ocean. There he took part in the capture of Manila from the Spanish. He was promoted to rear-admiral in 1778. After naval victories against the French in the Caribbean, he returned home and engaged the Dutch fleet near the Dogger Bank in 1781. In the following year he was appointed to the East Indies command. A tragic end In December 1782 Sir Hyde Parker set sail in H.M.S. Cato to take up a posting in Bombay. The Cato was never heard of again. It is thought to have sunk off the Maldives. Among those lost with Admiral Parker was his young grandson, who was serving with him as a midshipman. The American War of Independence Sir Harry’s brother was Admiral Sir Hyde Parker II (1739-1807) who made his name fighting in the American War of Independence. He was knighted for his part in the Hudson River campaign. In 1780 his ship, the Phoenix, was wrecked by a hurricane on the coast of Cuba. He and the crew managed to reach the shore safely.

The prize money he won while serving in the West Indies during the 1790s made him a wealthy man. Disobeyed by Nelson In 1801, at the age of 61, he commanded the British fleet during the bombardment of Copenhagen. His second-in-command was Horatio Nelson, who led the attack. At the height of the battle, he hoisted the flag to discontinue the action. Famously, Nelson ignored the order from his commander by raising his telescope to his blind eye and exclaiming, ‘I really do not see the signal’. He pressed on with the action and won victory against the Danish forces. The naval tradition continues Sir Harry’s nephew was Vice-Admiral Hyde Parker III (1786-1854) who also served in the Napoleonic Wars and was appointed Senior Naval Lord in 1852. His son, Captain Hyde Parker (1824-54), commanded a steam warship in the Royal Navy, H.M.S. Firebrand. He was killed storming a Russian fort at Sulina in the Crimea in 1854.

His grandson, Edmund Hyde Parker (1868-1951), who later became an Admiral, commanded the battleship H.M.S. Superb at the Battle of Jutland in 1916.

Question: He famously ignored his orders, who was Nelson's superior at Copenhagen?
Answer: Sir Hyde Parker