MEMOIR OF NELSON'S SERVICES

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF

October 15, 1799. Port Mahon.

HORATIO NELSON, son of the Rev. Edmund Nelson, rector of Burnham Thorpe, in the county of Norfolk, and of Catherine his wife, daughter of Doctor Suckling, Prebendary of Westminster, whose grandmother was sister of Sir Robert Walpole, Earl of Orford.

I was born September 29th, 1758, in the parsonage house; was sent to the high school at Norwich, and afterwards removed to North Walsham, from whence, on the disturbance with Spain, relative to the Falkland Islands, I went to sea with my uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling, in the Raisonnable of 64 guns. But the business with Spain being accommodated, I was sent in a West India ship, belonging to Hibbert, Purrier, and Horton, with Mr. John Rathbone, who had formerly been in the navy, in the Dreadnought, with Captain Suckling. From this voyage I returned to the Triumph, at Chatham, in July, 1772; and, if I did not improve in my education, I came back a practical seaman, with a horror of the royal navy, and with a saying then constant with seamen, Aft the most honour, forward the best man! It was many weeks before I got in the least reconciled to a man-of-war, so deep was the prejudice rooted; and what pains were taken to instil this erroneous principle in a young mind! However, as my ambition was to be a seaman, it was always held out as a

reward, that if I attended well to my navigation, I should go in the cutter and decked long-boat, which were attached to the commanding officer's ship at Chatham. Thus by degrees I became a good pilot for vessels of that description, from Chatham to the Tower of London, down to the Swin and the North Foreland, and confident of myself amongst rocks and sands, which has been many times since of great comfort to me. In this way I was trained, until the expedition towards the North Pole was fitted out; when, although no boys were allowed to go in the ships (as of no use), yet nothing could prevent my using my interest to go with Captain Lutwidge, in the Carcass; and as I fancied I was to fill a man's place, I begged I might be his coxswain; which, finding my ardent desire for going with him, Captain Lutwidge complied with, and has continued the strictest friendship to this moment. Lord Mulgrave, whom I then first knew, maintained his kindest friendship and regard to the last moment of his life. When the boats were fitting out to quit the two ships blocked up in the ice, I exerted myself to have the command of a four-oared cutter, raised upon, which was given me, with twelve men ; and I prided myself that I could navigate her better than any other boat in the ship.

On our arrival in England, being paid off, October 15th, I found that a squadron was fitting out for the East Indies, and nothing less than such a distant voyage could in the least satisfy my desire of maritime knowledge. I was placed in the Seahorse, 20 guns, with Captain Farmer, and watched in the fore-top; from whence in time I was placed on the quarter-deck; having, in the time I was in this ship, visited almost every part of the East Indies, from Bengal to Bussorah. Ill health induced Sir Edward Hughes, who had always shown me the greatest kindness, to send me to England in the Dolphin, 20 guns, with Captain James Pigot, whose kindness at that time saved my life. This ship was paid off at Woolwich, on 24th September,

1776. On the 26th, I received an order from Sir James Douglass, who commanded at Portsmouth, to act as lieutenant of the Worcester, 64, Captain Mark Robinson, who was ordered to Gibraltar with a convoy. In this ship I was at sea with convoys until April 2nd, 1777, and in very bad weather. But although my age might have been sufficient cause for not entrusting me with the charge of a watch, yet Captain Robinson used to say, " he felt as easy when I was upon deck, as any officer in the ship."

On the 8th of April, 1777, I passed my examination as a lieutenant, and received my commission the next day, as second lieutenant of the Lowestoffe frigate, of 32 guns, Captain (afterwards Lieutenant-governor of Greenwich Hospital) William Locker. In this ship I went to Jamaica; but even a frigate was not sufficiently active for my mind, and I got into a schooner, tender to the Lowestoffe. In this vessel I made myself a complete pilot for all the passages through the Keys (islands) situated on the north side of Hispaniola. Whilst in the frigate, an event happened which presaged my character; and as it conveys no dishonour to the officer alluded to, I shall insert it.

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Blowing a gale of wind, and a very heavy sea, the frigate captured an American letter-of-marque. The first lieutenant was ordered to board her, which he did not do, owing to the very heavy sea. On his return, the captain said, Have I no officer in the ship who can board the prize? On which the master ran to the gangway, to get into the boat, when I stopped him, saying, "It is my turn now; and if I come back, it is yours." This little incident has often occurred to my mind; and I know that it is my disposition, that difficulties and dangers do but increase my desire of attempting them.

Sir Peter Parker, soon after his arrival at Jamaica, 1778, took me into his own flag-ship, the Bristol, as third lieutenant, from which I rose by succession to be the first. Nothing particular happened whilst I was in this ship,

which was actively employed off Cape François, it being the commencement of the French war.

On the 8th of December, 1778, I was appointed as commander of the Badger brig, and was first sent to protect the Mosquito shore, and the Bay of Honduras, from the depredations of the American privateers. Whilst on this service, I gained so much on the affections of the settlers, that they unanimously voted me their thanks, and expressed their regret on my leaving them, entrusting me to describe to Sir Peter Parker and Sir John Dalling their situation, should a war with Spain break out. Whilst I commanded this brig, H.M.S. Glasgow, Captain Thomas Lloyd, came into Montego Bay, Jamaica, where the Badger was lying; in two hours afterwards she took fire by a cask of rum; and Captain Lloyd will tell you, that it was owing to my exertions, joined to his, that her whole crew were rescued from the flames.

On the 11th of June, 1779, I was made post in the Hinchinbrook: when, being at sea, and Count d'Estaing arriving at Hispaniola with a very large fleet and army from Martinico, an attack on Jamaica was expected. In this critical state, I was by both admiral and general entrusted with the command of the batteries at Port Royal; and I need not say, as this place was the key to the whole naval force, the town of Kingston, and Spanish Town, the defence of it was the most important post in the whole island.

In January, 1780, an expedition being resolved on against St. Juan's, I was chosen to direct the sea part of it. Major Polson, who commanded, will tell you of my exertions; how I quitted my ship, carried troops in boats a hundred miles up a river, which none but Spaniards, since the buccaneers, had ever ascended; it will then be told how I boarded, if I may be allowed the expression, an outpost of the enemy, situated on an island in the river; that I made batteries and afterwards fought them, and was