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Intransigent, Indomitable Horatio Nelson
When Admiral Lord “Jacky" Fisher, England’s First Sea Lord, was decribing one of his commanders in 1916 he said, “He has all of Nelson’s qualities except one: he does not know how to disobey an order.”
The most famous example of Nelson’s bent to selectively disregard the commands of his seniors occurred during the Battle of Copenhagen in 180 1- Upon receiving the signal to break off action, Nelson turned to Captain Thomas Foley of his flagship, Elephant, “You know, Foley, I have one blind eye and have a right to be blind sometimes.” Putting his small telescope to his blind eye he exclaimed, “I really do not see the signal!” While Nelson’s characteristic point of view throughout his career was not necessarily insubordinate, certainly, it would be described as perverse when measured against the expected subordination by the military in the age of the lash.
This fearless nature was demonstrated early in his career while in command of the Boreas at the age of 25. Nelson made his presence in the British West Indies well known when he demanded respect for the British flag by Dutch and French merchant ships and government officials as well- He even audaciously made suggestions to the British governor of the Leeward Islands for better discharging his duties. Nelson received the reply that “old generals were not in the habit of taking advice from young gentlemen. Nelson’s reply was, “I have the honour, Sir, of being as old as the prime minister of England [William Pitt] and think myself as capable of commanding one of his majesty’s ships a5 , that minister is of governing the state.”
It was during this same tour in the West Indies that Nelson had dif' ferences with his commander in chief. Admiral Sir Richard Hughes. One instance which demonstrated Nelson5 dedication to principle centered on 11 dispute about officer precedence- Upon entering a harbor in Antigua, Nelson saw a vessel of the squadron flying a commodore’s broad pennantKnowing himself senior to that ves- j sel’s captain, he asked for an explana- , tion from the vessel’s commander-
Nelson was informed that a Captain Moutray who was acting as Commissioner of the Navy, a civil office in Antigua, had ordered his flag broken. Even though Moutray was 20 years senior to Nelson on the captain’s list, Nelson refused to place himself under Moutray’s command unless Moutray could produce a commission indicates he was entitled to command afloat. The matter was ultimately referred to Admiral Hughes who in turn forwarded it to the distant Admiralty for resolution. Admiral Hughes was displeased with Nelson’s conduct, but Was aware of Nelson’s presumptuous nature and was hesitant to discipline him. The Admiralty chastened Nelson hy replying that he should not have Presumed to decide the issue of Mou- tray s authority, but should have referred the matter to Admiral Hughes. Since Nelson had already done so in orceful terms, it can be assumed the Admiralty’s response indicated at least tac‘t approval of Nelson’s position.
The differences between Nelson and ttu8hes became sharper in a dispute °n the enforcement of the Navigation Act which was designed to protect r,tish merchant trade in the colonies. any of the West Indian islands were trading openly with foreigners, particularly with the United States, in v'°lation of the act. While Hughes aPproved enforcement of the act, he ’ssued a modifying order which left e decision of entry of foreign vessels Jtp to each governor of the port or arbor of that island. Nelson consid- eJ'ecf this an affront to his naval au- °tity and particularly resented u8hes’ instructions, “You are on no account to hinder or prevent such for- e,gn vessel from going in accordingly, 0r to interfere any further in her sub- S(Nuent proceedings.”
in his reply to Hughes, Nelson ar- PUed that since the question of allow- Jt*S foreigners to enter a port or harbor ln8ed on a danger or distress, i.e., st°tm or flooding, only a sea officer Could make that determination. Nel- sh°n concluded his letter, “Whilst I ,.ave the honour to command an Eng” man-of-war, I never shall allow tfyself to be subservient to the will of any governor, nor cooperate with him ln doing illegal acts. ...” Nelson
later confided in a letter to a friend, “Sir Richard Hughes was a delicate business. I must either disobey my orders, or disobey acts of Parliament, which the Admiral was disobeying. 1 determined upon the former, trusting to the uprightness of my intention. In short, I wrote the Admiral that I should decline obeying his orders, till I had opportunity of seeing and talking to him, at the same time making him an apology.”
Nelson not only began turning vessels away but gave notice he would seize American vessels trading in the islands. True to his word he captured four vessels, and was later accused of assault and imprisonment by their masters. Under threat of trial for these offenses, Nelson confined himself to his ship for seven weeks to avoid being served with writs for damages. After favorable settlement by a civil court for the case of the four vessels, Nelson petitioned and received approval for defense by Crown lawyers in future cases where he seized vessels in compliance with the Navigation Act. Nelson, with his legal status no longer in doubt, resumed his diligent enforcement of the Crown’s interest, action not altogether popular with many of the Leeward Island merchants. Ironically, a short time later Admiral Hughes received a commendation from the Admiralty for zeal in enforcing the Navigation Act.
Horatio Nelson was never one to be constricted by form when a situation demanded substantial action. When he wrote, “Political courage in an officer aboard is as highly necessary as military courage,” it was not a simple aphorism. It was a reflection of his singular ability to determine when simple obedience to an order might bring inconclusive results. It was just such a substantial action by Nelson on St. Valentine’s Day, 1797, that added luster to an already growing fame.
Nelson was embarked in the Captain, 13th in a line of 15 ships, tacking to engage the Spanish division to windward. Nelson noted the leaders of the Spanish body were attempting to cross behind the British column, a maneuver which would have allowed them to join with their ships to leeward to gain numerical advantage on the British fleet. Nelson ordered the Captain to be brought into the track of three heavily armed Spanish three- deckers. Joined by the Culloden, the first ship of the British van, the Captain engaged in a furious action which turned the Spanish line. The balance of the British squadron commanded by Admiral Sir John Jervis gained a glorious victory at Cape St. Vincent that day. Nelson’s action with the Captain was, at the very least, impetuous but, despite his unsignalled action, won admiration from Jervis. Robert Calder, chief of staff for Admiral Jervis, criticized Nelson’s action as an unauthorized departure from the method of prescribed attack. Jervis was said to reply to this with, “It certainly was so, and if ever you commit such a breach of your orders, I will forgive you also.”
While Nelson’s “breach of orders” at Cape St. Vincent won him esteem, his later refusal to obey the orders of Admiral Sir George Keith, Commander in Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, did not. The breach occurred during his stay in Naples while many believed him under the influence of his paramour, Emma Hamilton. Lord Keith directed Nelson to send a part of his squadron to Minorca to protect that island from the French fleet. Nelson took the position that the interests of England were better served in the protection of Naples and Sicily and sent no ships. In this case, Nelson was rebuked by the Admiralty for insubordination, although he remained confident he was in the right. He stated, “Much as I approve of strict obedience to orders, yet to say an officer is never, for any object, to alter his orders, is what I cannot comprehend.”
In view of his previous reaction to orders he found disagreeable, Nelson’s response to the orders of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, his commander in chief at the Battle of Copenhagen, was almost predictable. When the flaghoist signal number 39 was reported to him, the signal lieutenant asked Nelson whether he should repeat it. Nelson answered, “No, acknowledge it!” To Colonel Stewart of the embarked marine force he asked, "Do you know what’s shown on board of the Commander-in-Chief? Number 39!” On
Stewart’s asking him what that meant he answered, “Why to leave off action. Leave off Action! Now damn me if I do!” A few moments later Nelson was reported to have said, “Damn the signal. Keep mine for closer battle flying. That’s the way 1 answer such signals! Nail mine to the mast!”
Despite the intensity of the fighting, Nelson knew the tide had turned in his favor and withdrawal could have been disastrous. Fortunately, most of the remainder of his fighting force followed Nelson’s example and a great victory was won. There are some accounts that Admiral Parker had given Nelson prior approval to treat the signal as permissive. It is more likely that Nelson was Fully aware his action was not preapproved, as he said, “Well! I fought contrary to orders, and shall perhaps be hanged. Never mind, let them.”
Throughout his illustrious career, Horatio Nelson exhibited obdurate mental and physical courage. When a wound received in a battle at Teneriffe in the Canary Islands caused the loss of his right arm, he justifiably feared his career ended. He wrote to Lord St. Vincent, “A left-handed admiral will never again be considered as useful; therefore, the sooner I get to a very humble cottage the better, and make room for a sounder man to serve the state.” All this before his successes at the Nile, Copenhagen, and his ultimate achievement at Trafalgar.
Nelson was a dynamic, energetic professional who never shrank from a sea battle. After capturing two vessels of the French Toulon fleet, Nelson, a young captain, went to his commander, Admiral Lord William Hotham, and proposed pursuing the rest of the French fleet. Hotham replied, “We must be contented, we have done very well.”
“Now,” said Nelson, "had we taken ten sail and allowed the eleventh to escape, when it had been possible to have got at her, I could never have called it well done.” He stated in a later letter, "I wish to be an admiral and in command of the English Fleet; I should very soon either do much or be ruined. My disposition cannot bear tame and slow measures. Sure I am, had I commanded on the 14th, either the whole French fleet would have graced my triumph, or I should have been in a confounded scrape.”
Nelson was destined to get that chance on several occasions and achieved a crowning success at Trafalgar, the most famous naval battle in
British history. Without realizing it- he exhibited what proved to be hi* final act of impertinence toward his seniors.
In a prelude to the battle of Trafal' gar, Nelson allowed one of his squad' ron commanders, the aforementioned Robert Calder, to return to England in Calder’s 90-gun vessel. Calder had been criticized by the government f°r I hesitant action in a battle with the I French fleet. The Admiralty had if' tended that Calder leave his flagship- I the Prince of Wales, and return in the smaller Dreadnought since the latter was due for drydocking. After an ap' peal to Nelson, Calder was allowed to sail home in his own ship despite the I military need for this potent vessel- Nelson wrote the first Lord of the Admiralty, “I may be thought wrong- as an officer, to disobey the orders of the Admiralty. . . but I trust I shali be considered to have done right as 11 man and to a brother officer in affl*1-' tion . . . my heart could not stand it- and so the thing must rest, I shad submit to the wisdom of the Board t0 censure me or not.” Horatio Nelson5 final act of impudence was executed with style.