516. Nelson: God of War (Part 3)

Summary

Episode 516: Nelson: God of War (Part 3) - Detailed Summary

Release Date: November 25, 2024
Podcast: The Rest Is History
Host: Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland

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Overview

In Episode 516 of The Rest Is History, hosts Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland delve into the heroic yet tumultuous career of Admiral Horatio Nelson, focusing on the pivotal Battle of Cape St. Vincent and the subsequent ill-fated expedition to Tenerife. This episode captures the essence of Nelson's bravery, strategic genius, and the personal sacrifices that cemented his legacy as one of Britain's greatest naval heroes.

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The Battle of Cape St. Vincent

Background and Prelude

The episode opens in February 1797, amidst the Napoleonic Wars. The British Royal Navy, under the command of Admiral Sir John Jervis (later the Earl of St. Vincent), faces a formidable alliance of Spanish and French fleets threatening Britain's control of the Mediterranean and the English Channel. The Spanish fleet, bolstered by Napoleon's advances, aims to join forces with the French, posing a significant threat of invasion.

Tom Holland sets the stage:

"The British have been driven out of the Mediterranean by Napoleon's advances on land. The Spanish have joined the war and are looking to link up with the French, which would be disastrous for Britain." [03:31]

Strategy and Formation

Despite being outnumbered, Jervis remains confident in the Royal Navy's superior skill, valor, and discipline. He devises a plan to engage the Spanish fleet decisively, aiming to capture and incapacitate enemy ships to prevent their unification with the French fleet.

Jervis emphasizes the importance of initiative among his captains, fostering a culture where the "spirit of an order" can sometimes outweigh the literal interpretation. This strategic flexibility becomes crucial in the ensuing battle.

Dominic Sandbrook highlights Jervis's leadership:

"He believes they have to take on the Spanish now to stop them linking up. And he is confident, as he later put it, in the skill, valor and discipline of the officers and men I had the happiness to command." [04:25]

Nelson's Bold Move

As the battle commences on February 14, 1797, the British fleet, comprising 15 ships of the line, confronts the larger Spanish force of 27 ships, including the colossal Santissima Trinidad with 130 guns.

During the heat of combat, a smaller British ship, the Captain, defies orders by breaking formation and charging directly at the Spanish flagship, Santissima Trinidad. This audacious move is led by none other than Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Tom Holland narrates Nelson's daring action:

"Nelson has been watching all this on the Captain. He knows that he's under strict instructions, do not abandon the attack formation. ... But as soon as he sees that something is going wrong, Nelson thinks, I will ignore the letter of the law." [13:14]

Outcome and Impact

Nelson's fearless assault disrupts the Spanish fleet, causing confusion and halting their attempt to escape. This not only buys time for the remaining British ships to regroup but also forces the Spanish to divert their attention away from fleeing to Cadiz.

The battle culminates in a crushing British victory. Out of the 27 Spanish ships, the British capture four as prizes, inflict heavy casualties, and secure an overwhelming strategic advantage.

Dominic Sandbrook summarizes the victory:

"Cape St Vincent is a crushing victory for British naval spirit. Fifteen ships have beaten 27 and they've captured four of the 27 as prizes. Hundreds of Spanish have been killed, thousands wounded, 3,000 taken prisoner. It is an astounding achievement." [20:54]

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The Blockade and the Expedition to Tenerife

The Treasure Fleet and the Plan

Following the victory at Cape St. Vincent, the British fleet, now under the new command of Admiral Sir John Jervis (Earl of St. Vincent), learns of a Spanish treasure fleet laden with silver from Cuba and Argentina. Seizing this opportunity could potentially alter the course of the war by crippling Spain's finances and strengthening Britain's position.

Tom Holland explains the motivation:

"They have to capture this treasure. It would make them for life, wouldn't it?" [25:24]

Nelson, ever ambitious, proposes an ambitious expedition to capture the treasure by seizing the Spanish fleet anchored in Tenerife, off the coast of Africa.

The Failed Assault

In July, Nelson leads eight ships, including his new ship, the Theseus, into Tenerife. However, the assault quickly turns disastrous:

• Steep Black Beaches and High Cliffs: The British lacked detailed maps and underestimated the challenging terrain, facing steep beaches and formidable defenses.
• Strong Currents and Poor Timing: The naval crew struggled against strong currents, delaying their approach until dawn when the British ships became visible targets.
• Intense Defenses: The Spanish had well-prepared guns along the shore, leading to heavy casualties during the initial attack.

Tom Holland recounts the failed attempt:

"They start ringing the church bells and firing cannons. Trubridge goes ahead anyway. He leads his men up this beach. They go up this mountain dragging two cannons with them... they're in an absolutely terrible state." [27:28]

Nelson's Injury and Heroism

Determined to salvage the mission, Nelson launches a second, reckless assault directly up the beach. During this charge, he is hit by a massive splinter in his side, causing a grievous injury. Despite the excruciating pain:

• Leadership Amidst Chaos: Nelson remains resolute, rallying his men to continue the attack.
• Josiah's Valor: A young sailor, Josiah, steps up to apply a makeshift tourniquet, saving Nelson's life.

Dominic Sandbrook captures the moment:

"Nelson has got a massive gray splinter stuck in his stomach. Does it stop him? Probably not, no." [16:18]

Nelson continues to lead, eventually falling from his boat due to the severity of his injury. His determination inspires his crew, exemplifying his unwavering commitment to duty.

Aftermath and Consequences

The expedition ends in humiliating failure for the British:

• Casualties: The British lose 150 men with no significant gains.
• Nelson's Injury: Nelson loses his right arm above the elbow, suffers from severe pain, and deals with the psychological toll of the failed mission.
• Professional Repercussions: Jervis criticizes the disastrous plan but supports Nelson, recognizing his bravery and potential for future successes.

Tom Holland reflects on the impact:

"Nelson, in fact through much of his career hasn't taken many prizes. They're always piffling little privateers and things that he's been getting. He's all about, you know, serving his country." [25:48]

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Conclusion: Nelson's Legacy and Next Steps

Despite the setbacks at Tenerife, Nelson's reputation as a national hero remains unblemished. His audacious actions at Cape St. Vincent and his relentless pursuit of glory, even in the face of grievous injuries, solidify his legendary status in British naval history.

Jervis assures Nelson that his career is far from over, setting the stage for future exploits, including the illustrious Battle of the Nile, which promises to be a highlight in British naval triumphs.

Dominic Sandbrook teases the next episode:

"Next week we will turn to what for me is possibly the most thrilling chapter in Nelson's life. One of the most glorious episodes, Tom, in British naval history." [35:07]

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Notable Quotes

1. Dominic Sandbrook [04:25]:

   "He is confident, as he later put it in the skill, valor and discipline of the officers and men I had the happiness to command."

2. Tom Holland [13:14]:

   "Nelson thinks, I will ignore the letter of the law... I'm going straight for the biggest ship on earth, the Santissima Trinidad."

3. Dominic Sandbrook [20:54]:

   "Cape St Vincent is a crushing victory for British naval spirit. Fifteen ships have beaten 27 and they've captured four of the 27 as prizes."

4. Tom Holland [25:24]:

   "They could make them for life, wouldn't it?"

5. Dominic Sandbrook [34:30]:

   "He becomes a burden to my friends and useless to my country."

6. Tom Holland [35:07]:

   "Next week we will turn to what for me is possibly the most thrilling chapter in Nelson's life."

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Final Thoughts

Episode 516 masterfully intertwines the grandeur of naval warfare with the personal struggles of one of history's most revered figures. Nelson's journey is portrayed not just as a series of battles, but as a testament to human courage, resilience, and the complexities of leadership. This episode serves both as an homage to Nelson's legacy and a critical examination of the costs of heroism.

For listeners eager to explore more of Nelson's exploits and the intricate tapestry of British naval history, the upcoming episodes promise to deliver even more thrilling narratives and insightful analysis.

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Transcript

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Thank you for listening to the rest is history. For weekly bonus episodes, ad free listening, early access to series and membership of our much loved chat community go to there and join the club that is there.

[Tom Holland]

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[Unknown]

On the deck of the Victory, Jervis clenched his fists in frustration. The Spanish were getting away. After all the waiting, it had all been for nothing. And then, to his amazement, one of the smaller British ships did something extraordinary. In flagrant defiance of all his orders, it broke out of the line, abandoning the planned formation and striking out alone across the sea. The Admiral's jaw dropped. The unknown captain was heading straight for the Spanish fleet. He was bearing down on the gigantic enemy flagship, the Santissima Trinidad, guns blazing for death or glory. And then Jervis realized who it was. It was Nelson. So, honestly, Dominic, do you know my daughters now, I'm afraid, are too old to have a bedtime story read to them because actually Katie's 25. But I'm quite tempted to get it for them for Christmas and read it to them.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Oh, you absolutely should. I can't think of a better way you could spend Christmas.

[Unknown]

So this is from Nelson, Hero of the Seas, your thrilling new book, aimed at a younger audience, but very much tailored for an adult patriot as well.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Definitely.

[Unknown]

And this is a heroic, I mean astonishing moment. We'll come to it in the battle Battle of Cape St Vincent, fought on 14 February 1797. And this is the feat that makes Nelson a national hero for the first time. And we'll be looking at that. We'll be looking at how he loses his arm.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yes. So today's episode, I mean, there's no disguising it, this is history as pure swashbuckling melodrama, daring do. Absolutely. And we have no apology in saying that. So let's remind ourselves, Tom, where we got to. We are in February 1797. The British have been driven out of the Mediterranean by Napoleon's advances on land. The Spanish have joined the war and are looking to link up with the French, which would be disastrous for Britain. Nelson has been heading back through the Mediterranean. He's gone through the Straits of Gibraltar. He has sailed through the Spanish fleet in the fog. And to his relief, he has linked up with Sir John Jervis. Old oak, this toad like indomitable admiral off Cape St. Vincent. And now Jervis has the chance to draw up his plans and to strike for victory.

[Unknown]

And the scene is set for what the British hope will be a decisive clash. Because even though the British are outnumbered, their hope is that by engaging the Spanish, they can capture ships, they can maim ships, they can impair it. And the reason why this really matters is that Jervis, of course, is, you know, he's down off the coast of Spain and Portugal, but his main thoughts are surely focused on the Channel, because the risk is that if the Spanish fleet is able to continue on its way northwards to Brest in France and to join up with the French fleet, then even though the Royal Navy is the largest fleet in the world, the combination of the second largest, the French, and the third largest, the Spanish, I mean, potentially it could threaten Britain with the loss of the control of the Channel. And that would open up a possibility of a French invasion.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Exactly. So Jervis knows, as you said, that he is outnumbered, but he believes they have to take on the Spanish now to stop them linking up. And he is confident, as he later put it in the skill, valor and discipline of the officers and men I had the happiness to command. And that is not just patriotic boosterism, that is a genuine, realistic appreciation of the Royal Navy's qualities as opposed to those of the Spanish navy and perhaps.

[Unknown]

Specifically of the fighting quality of the captains that he has promoted and favored. And one of the things I think, that Jervis has instilled in his captains is that, you know, there is the letter of an order and there is the spirit of an order.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yes, that is.

[Unknown]

And he's trying to encourage his captains to show initiative if the opportunity should.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Arrive, which is exactly what Nelson will do later on. So Nelson gets that, I think, from Jervis. So that day, when Nelson arrives, Jervis moves him to another ship, a bigger ship, the captain, 74 guns. He's very pleased to find that the captain is in great condition. The crew have been drilling and drilling with the guns all the time, preparing for this opportunity. That night, Jervis makes his ships keep close order. They can hear the Spanish guns, the signal guns, away in the fog. Then dawn comes, it's the 14th of February, 1797. It's a cold, misty morning. The lead ship, which is Culloden, under Thomas Trubridge, Nelson's friend from episode one.

[Unknown]

He's a man who Loves glory, doesn't he?

[Dominic Sandbrook]

He absolutely does. They said nobody in the fleet. He's Jervis's favorite, Thomas Trubich, everybody. Because he's really.

[Unknown]

I mean, he's risen from nothing. He was an old seaman.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

He's properly meritocratic. And they always used to say, nobody hates the French more than Thomas Trubrid. You know, he really does burn with zeal for king and country. So his lookouts have spotted ships, and the British start to advance very slowly, deliberately. People who remember our Trafalgar series will remember that you don't often charge into these battles. You proceed in a very stately, kind of considered way.

[Unknown]

It's like a kind of dance, isn't it? You line up opposite each other. That's the convention.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

And there is a wonderful, wonderful story told of this. So the captain of the Victory is looking through the telescope. Jervis is on the Victory, but of course, he's not the captain of that ship because he's the commander in the entire fleet. And the captain says, there are eight sail of the line, Sir John. Very well, sir. There are 20 sail of the line, Sir John. Very well, sir. There are 25 sail of the line, Sir John. Very well, sir. There are 27 sail of the line, Sir John. And so at this point, the captain of the Victory is clearly thinking, there are far too many of them.

[Unknown]

You know, let's get out of here.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

And Jervis just says, enough, sir. No more of that. The die is cast. And even if there are 50, sale I will go through them.

[Unknown]

That is the Sandbrook spirit.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

And behind them, there's a Canadian officer, I think he is, who hears this, and he can't restrain himself, and he shouts out, that's right, Sir John. And by God, we'll give them a damn good licking. Love it. This is how we talk about rival history podcasts, isn't it, Tom?

[Unknown]

It is. Yes, it is.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

So Jervis has 15 ships of the line. The Spanish have 27 ships. The Spanish have more. Three Decker ships. The three Decker ships the Spanish have have 112 guns each. And they also have a ship called the Santissima Trinidad.

[Unknown]

And that's an absolute monster, isn't it?

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Four decks, 130 guns. The most formidable warship on earth, arguably, that's ever been built. Yeah.

[Unknown]

So there's another officer in the British line who looks at them and says, in a tone of huge excitement, by my soul, they are thumpers.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yeah. This is probably the story in all history that shows Britain at its best. I think it's fair to say, Tom.

[Unknown]

Yeah, if only every episode could be like this.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

The two fleets are converging. Jervis is completely calm. You know, he instills this sense of tranquility and confidence in his captains.

[Unknown]

And Dominic, just to reiterate, the key thing here is the British fleet is outnumbered, but they're still expecting to win completely. And they will win by engaging the Spanish. So they have to engage the Spanish.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yes.

[Unknown]

They're worried that the Spanish fleet will kind of sail back, will go to Cadiz or whatever.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yes, exactly.

[Unknown]

So even though they're outnumbered, it's the Spanish who are probably going to try and get away.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Exactly. Because the Spanish. I mean, what we're saying about the British capabilities, this is not us being jingoistic, sort of silly and jingoistic. The Spanish and the French absolutely know this and they factor this in that. Yeah. When you're up against a British fleet, you're in trouble and the best thing to do is to try to get away.

[Unknown]

And it's not just the gunnery, it's also that they've just been out all the time because of their limes. Yeah, but the Spanish and the French can't do that. They have to spend most of their time in port.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yes, exactly. The British are experienced, they are drilled, they are formidable. And I think, actually running through this whole Nelson story, as much as we praise Nelson's individual genius, there is a sense that when a British fleet and a Spanish or French fleet go into battle, the general expectation is that the British will always win. Don't you think?

[Unknown]

I do. And I think it's because, chiefly thanks to the process of industrialization and globalization, that the Royal Navy is both facilitating and being sharpened and honed by Britain, has a weapon of lethal destructiveness, rather in the way that with the longbows and the use of longbowmen and men at arms in the Hundred Years War, for a brief time, they were able to impose themselves on the greatest power in Christendom. This is really the only other period where Britain has a kind of cutting edge offensive weapon, and the French and the Spanish respect that and indeed fear it.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

So, to give a sense of the battle picture, the Spanish ships are in two divisions. They have 18 ships first and then nine, and they're in very ragged formation, so Jervis can tell they're not quite at it. The British, they are advancing sort of in a calm, steady, controlled way now, flying the colours of the Union Jack. And the plan there is that effectively they will advance on the Spanish fleet and then they will tack, which means kind of zigzagging upwind towards the larger Spanish division. And they will cut the Spanish in two. They will deal with the first larger division of the Spanish, then they will turn back to deal with the second division.

[Unknown]

And of course, this is not the formal dance of battle that the Spanish would expect. And it bears witness to the fact that this, I suppose, really an impatience with the limitations of fighting simply in a line, you know, one against the other, that it's not just Nelson, that this is something that the, you know, the entire officer class of the Royal Navy is starting to get to grips with. I mean, Hotham hadn't. But Jervis clearly has.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Jervis absolutely has. Yes, he has. So leading the line is Thomas Trubridge's Culloden. Victory is in the centre. And actually Nelson's captain is towards the back. At the very back is his friend Cuthbert Collingwood's ship. Excellent. On they go. At 11:30, Culloden reaches the enemy line. At this point, Jervis sends the signal saying, now is the time to zigzag upwind and to cut the Spanish fleet in two.

[Unknown]

And already the kind of gun smoke is starting to. The Spanish are starting to fire.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yes.

[Unknown]

And Jervis has been on the quarterdeck and now he goes up onto the poop deck to get a better sense of the action. His ship is kind of wreathed in smoke. And while he's standing there, an officer can't duck even as bullets are firing or cannon or whatever. And as he's standing there, a cannonball smacks into the head of an officer next to him. Jervis is absolutely spattered by blood, brains, fragments of skull. He wipes the gore from his face very coolly and lowers his telescope and stumps back to the quarter deck.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Love it. Brilliant. That's exactly how I would behave on the ship. Tom, you're quite right about this point. As the firing starts, Jervis realizes that something has gone very badly wrong with his plan. That basically the ships that are succeeding, the second lot of British ships, have missed his last signal. In the confusion, in the chaos, in the smoke, they're not tacking and they are not tacking. They are not turning to deal with the first division. And without getting massively into kind of the minutiae naval tactics, what this means is it will take time for them to turn. In that time, the smaller Spanish ships will get away. They will be able to run to the sanctuary of their home port, which is Cadiz. And on the other hand, the larger Spanish division will probably also manage to get away. They will be able to loop round and rejoin their comrades. And it's at that point that he sees one British ship disobeying his orders, striking off alone, breaking the attack formation and heading straight for the enemy flagship, that Santissima Trinidad.

[Unknown]

And who is it?

[Dominic Sandbrook]

It is Nelson.

[Unknown]

It's Nelson.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

It's Nelson on the Captain. So Nelson has been watching all this on the Captain. He knows that he's under strict instructions, do not abandon the attack formation. Stay in formation. But as soon as he sees that something is going wrong, Nelson thinks, I will ignore the letter of the law.

[Unknown]

I'll go with the spirit of the.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

I will go with the spirit, you know, it's gone wrong, I'll take it into my own hands. I'm going to go straight for the biggest ship on earth, the Santissima Trinidad.

[Unknown]

But just to emphasize the balls of Nelson in doing this, it's not just that he is charging alone, you know, this vast ship, it's also the fact that the entire structure of the navy is founded on obedience and particularly in battle, to flout instructions. You know, it goes against every instinct of a service that depends on strict discipline for its very survival. And if it all goes wrong, if the Spanish fleet still gets away, or even more, if the British start losing ships, then Nelson will be the scapegoat.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Definitely.

[Unknown]

He will be ruined.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yeah. I mean, he could be court martialed, absolutely. But that gamble changes the course of the battle. It shows incredible courage. He is firing on this enormous ship. The Spanish are firing. There's enemy shot ripping into his sails and his rigging. Other Spanish ships begin to converge on him. But the fact that he does that means they don't get away because they turn to fight him. The thing is, it shows incredible courage, but also it's very effective. By going straight at this huge Spanish ship, he has bought time for the other ships, British ships, to change course and to follow him. But also he stopped the Spanish from breaking away because instead of rushing for Cadiz, they've turned to deal with Nelson. So within moments, yeah, he's engaged in this colossal kind of firefight with the Spanish ship. But British ships are now coming to his aid. Troubridge and Culloden, Collingwood in the Excellent.

[Unknown]

All the lads.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

All his pals.

[Unknown]

Yeah, all his pals.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

The captain is taking horrendous damage, so its main mast is riddled with holes while other masters blasted overboard. The wheel is splintered, the sails are shredded.

[Unknown]

Yeah, and splinters are really dangerous, aren't they? So it's not just the cannonballs, it's when the cannonball smacks into wood and the splinters go out. And at this point, Nelson is hit by a massive splinter in the side of his stomach. So this is another. It's not as kind of obviously bad as the wound to his eye, which blinds him in that eye, but it is. I mean, it causes him trouble for the rest of his life. It's a very serious wound.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yeah, absolutely, it does. He knows his ship can't take it much longer, that they're being absolutely pummeled by the Spanish. And he says to the master of his ship, okay, enough. Go straight for the nearest Spanish ship, which is the San Nicolas. Just go straight for it, ram into it. Let's do this. The master turns the wheel, what's left of the wheel, they head straight for the Spanish ship and they crash into the San Nicolas.

[Unknown]

Yeah. So we've just mentioned. Nelson has got a massive gray splinter stuck in his stomach. Does it stop him? Does it put him off? Probably not, no.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

By this, he has given orders. Come on, we're going to do with this. We're going to board. His crew have armed themselves. They've got pikes, they've got pistols, some of them have got cutlasses, they've got tomahawks, some of them kind of butchers, knives. They've got everything they can get their hands on. He jumps onto. I mean, this is. You know, no script writer would invent this. He jumps onto this beam that overhangs the St. Nicolas. He draws his sword and he literally shouts, death or glory. And then. And then he jumps, he jumps onto the San Nicolas. I mean, this is like, why didn't Russell Crowe play Nelson? Or, I mean, I suppose he was Captain Jack Aubrey. But this is a brilliant part for somebody, isn't it? He jumps onto the Spanish ship. When he gets there, he finds the Spanish ship. The Santa Claus is already littered with bodies. His gunners have done their work very well. And then there's the scene of him charging through the cabins with his men behind him, all his marines and whatnot. Musket shots come at them. His marines. He steps back and his marines sort of do their work. They keep going, fighting their way through the ship. They get to the quarter deck littered with Spanish bodies and the Spanish throw down their weapons. And at this point, he captured the ship.

[Unknown]

You know, he thinks, brilliant.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

This alone is an incredible feat, right? No British officer has boarded and captured an enemy ship for 300 years. It's so rare. And then just as he's kind of.

[Unknown]

Panting, more drama Another twist.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Musket balls start peppering the deck and he looks up and he realizes that in the chaos the San Nicolas has become entangled with another Spanish ship, a three decker ship called the San Jose.

[Unknown]

So this is enormous, hulking, looming over.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Them and the San Jose men are up on their kind of nests firing down on Nelson and his men on the San Nicolas.

[Unknown]

And this is the greatest moment, isn't it? Because Nelson's response to this, rather than thinking, oh we better be to retreat is to board that ship.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

This is incredible. Don't forget he is blind in one eye.

[Unknown]

He's got a splinter in his side.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

He's got a splinter in his side. He runs to the side, he leaps across the gap to the San Jose, kind of hauls himself up the side, very Hollywood, almost falls, his men doing the same behind him. They swarm aboard the San Jose. The Spanish are so taken aback by this. There's a lot of them throw down their weapons straight away. This captain is still firing at the San Jose. The Spanish give up pretty much straight away. And it's just an unbelievable scene.

[Unknown]

I mean the thing about it is it's very Nelson. It's pure glory. I mean it's Boy's Own. You wouldn't believe it if you saw it in a film. I mean it's so extraordinary that Patrick O'Brien never dared, even at Jack Aubrey's most dramatic, to come up with something so improbable. So Nelson has won this incredible glory, but he's done it by inflicting utter carnage on not one but two Spanish ships. There's an eyewitness to what the British find when they go below decks. So of both the ships, they've seen the horror of what's happened on the decks. But going down below decks, this is where British artillery has had its impact. These decks were full of dead bodies, some with their heads and others both their legs and arms off and the rest knocked all to pieces and their entrails all about and blood running so thick we could not walk the decks in part without going over our shoes in human blood, which was a deplorable sight and too shocking to relate. But he's just related it. Yes, and I've just related it as well. It's the combination of glory and carnage, I think, that makes Nelson's achievements simultaneously kind of thrilling, but also terrifying.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

And gallantry. Because after the Spanish all line up, he walks along the line shaking their hands and taking their swords. They each handed their swords and he gives them to his men who put Them under their arms, his men. It's very kind of master and commander. His men are covered with soot and grime and blood. And they all crowd round Nelson and one of them slaps him on the back, which is great, kind of Liz Majesty, you know. And this guy, this sort of, you can imagine this kind of burly sailor or whatever he says to his mates, well, it's not every day you can congratulate your captain for capturing a Spanish man of war. And of course it isn't.

[Unknown]

Well, because the Romans had this thing that a commander of an army, if he killed the opposing commander of an army, you know, this was an exceptional thing that only happened two or three times over the entire course of Roman history. I mean, this is the British parallel. It's so extraordinary what he's done.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Capturing one ship would make him a national hero.

[Unknown]

Capturing two, and also to boot, basically winning the battle for the British, because.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Cape St Vincent is a crushing victory for British naval spirit. Fifteen ships have beaten 27 and they've captured four of the 27 as prizes. Hundreds of Spanish have been killed, thousands wounded, 3,000 taken prisoner. It is an astounding achievement. And everybody knows that much as of course, Jervis will take a lot of the credits. Jervis himself knows. It's Nelson who is the star of the day, really.

[Unknown]

And this is a victory that has saved Britain from potential invasion to boot.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

So the fact that people in Britain can kind of breathe a huge sigh of relief while also reading in their newspapers about unbelievable tales of derring do. Nelson, for the first time, is a national hero. And to be honest, this is what Nelson has always dreamed of. He's always wanted to be a hero. He's always wanted to be admired, he's always want to be wreathed in glory. And now he is.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

And now he is. Yes.

[Unknown]

I talked in the beginning of the first episode about how there's a kind of almost equality of Achilles about Nelson's heroism. And we have the record, the opinion of the former Viceroy of Corsica, who was with the fleet on one of the frigates and watching the action. And he described Nelson as a hero beyond Homer's or any other possible inventions.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Oh, that's nice. So they get letters from home. Jervis has been made the Earl of St. Vincent. Nelson has been promoted to real Admiral of the Blue and Knight of the Order of the Bath. And he gets a lovely letter from his father, who's staying with Fanny in Bath, where they would often take the waters. And his father said they went to a concert that Morning. And when people saw them, they bowed to Fanny as if she'd won the battle herself, which must have been lovely for Fanny. And then the Reverend Nelson says that when they walked home, strangers came up to shake him by the hand and he had to step aside because he was so embarrassed to weep in public with pride. Isn't that nice, Tom?

[Unknown]

It is nice. Well, bear in mind also that, you know, they haven't seen Nelson for years.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

And he's been busy writing back to Fanny, saying, oh, I'd probably die.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

So her sense of relief must be enormous.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Enormous.

[Unknown]

So, Dominic, really, for Nelson, I mean, this is everything that he ever wanted. And for him, it should be a moment of transcendent happiness, a moment of complete apotheosis. But there is a sting in the tale, isn't there?

[Dominic Sandbrook]

There always is with Nelson, because as we said in the first episode, he's admirable, he's inspirational. But there's also a slight element of comedy and disaster that always sort of hanging over Nelson, especially Tom, when he goes on to land. And unfortunately, in the second half of this episode, that is what he is going to do with disastrous consequences.

[Unknown]

Okay, so any patriotic Britons listening? You've sapped your full with the first half, but I'm afraid the second half, it's slightly less glorious. Hello. Welcome back to the Rest Is History. Nelson and the Earl of St. Vincent, as he now is John Jervis. They have won the Battle of St Vincent. Britain has been saved from potential invasion, so hurrah. Nelson's an absolute hero. But, Dominic, we were talking at the end of the first half how this half is going to be slightly less glorious, isn't it?

[Dominic Sandbrook]

It is indeed. So they've won the battle, but Nelson being Nelson, there's always a little deflating epilogue, isn't there?

[Unknown]

There is when he goes on land, so glory. Followed by an unfortunate episode on terra firmament.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

So basically, they go to Lisbon to rest and repair. And while they're there, they hear reports or rumors that the Viceroy of Mexico is going to be sailing home or sending home his treasure fleet. So this is the silver from Cuba and from the Argentine.

[Unknown]

And it's very kind of Elizabethan quality to all this, isn't it? You can imagine Drake.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yeah, absolutely. And at first, the new Earl of St. Vincent, as he is, Sir John Jervis, says, well, if we hang around and blockade Cadiz, we should be able to get this fleet. They hang around outside, kiddies, no joy at all. And Nelson and Trubridge, his old pal, they're Both kind of hot headed and they put their heads together and they say, look, we think this fleet must have made for Tenerife. That's where they've gone. So down in the Canary Islands, off the coast of Africa, Spanish islands. That's why we haven't seen it. They've anchored the treasure fleet there. We can take Tenerife, we can get this treasure. Yeah, this treasure, this enormous quantity of silver.

[Unknown]

It would make them for life, wouldn't it?

[Dominic Sandbrook]

It would. And it could change the fortunes of the war, could knock Spain out of the war, who knows?

[Unknown]

There is that, of course, because of course it's all about patriotism. But there is also the element that both men would be unbelievably rich.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

They would be.

[Unknown]

And at this point then neither of them are.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

No, because Nelson, in fact through much.

[Unknown]

Of his career hasn't taken many prizes.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Never really takes many prizes. They're always piffling little privateers and things that he's been getting.

[Unknown]

He's all about, you know, serving his country.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

He fancies a bit of money as well, I think it's fair to say he does, yeah. So Nelson says to St. Vincent, Look, I just need eight ships or so. Come on, we can do this. St. Vincent says, all right, fine, go for it. And they set off in July. They've got three sort of decent sized ships, 74s as they're called, including Nelson's new ship, the Theseus, and some frigates, an artillery boat and all this. The plan is Nelson will command the ships, Trubridge will lead the men on land. What could possibly go wrong? Six days later they pitch up in Tenerife and I think even at this point they look out and they're like.

[Unknown]

Quite what we were expecting.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

It's kind of harder than we expecting because it's kind of these very steep black beaches and high cliffs. It's incredibly hot and this is something they haven't really bargained for.

[Unknown]

And it's very well defended as well, isn't it?

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Very well defended.

[Unknown]

So there are kind of guns all along the shore. It's a menacing place.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

They have arrived as is not untypical in Nelson's career, with no real sense of what would await them and no maps or anything like that, no plans of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and all this. Anyway, they arrive and they say, well come on, yeah, we're the British, we can't possibly lose. They make a first attack before dawn on the 22nd of July and I think it's fair to describe this attack as total and utter shambles. The current is so strong, it takes them ages to get to the beach. They don't get to the beach until dawn has broken so everyone can see them. They start ringing the church bells and firing cannons. Trubridge goes ahead anyway. He leads his men up this beach. They go up this mountain dragging two cannons with them. It's so hot. It takes them ages to get up to the top of this mountain. By the time they get there, they're in an absolutely terrible state. Troubridge's men are worried that Trubich is going to drop dead because he's sweating so much, kind of panting like a beast.

[Unknown]

Still got his uniform on.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Exactly. They get up there with the guns. They realize the range isn't long enough to reach the town. So it's been a complete and utter waste of time. They come back down again, very hot still. Two of them fall down the mountain and die. They've been completely humiliated. Now, at this point, Nelson should have given up. He knows himself. He says victory is a forlorn hope. But he says the honor of our country demands a second attempt, which is, frankly, madness. Absolute madness. It's very Churchilly. Gallipoli or something, isn't it? Kind of just, you know, doubling down on a very bad plan. So now he thinks, well, we'll attack Tenerife. We'll just go straight forward. We'll just. What could go wrong? We'll just go straight up the beach, blast our way in, get the treasure, storm the citadel. Brilliant. He probably, I think, expects to die on this.

[Unknown]

Well, because he is leading from the front, isn't he? Yes. And I guess this is why his men are happy to follow him on what they must have recognized.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

But can't say no. If he's going, he can't say no, can you?

[Unknown]

Because it's not just that he's facing risks that are as great as he's asking them to face, but they're actually greater as ever. He will be in his full uniform, he'll have his medals, and he'll be at the front of the expedition.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

And I think a sign that he thinks that this might not end well is he burns his letters from Fanny in his cabin that night, the night before they go. And Josiah comes in to help him do it. So Josiah, of course, has been hanging around all this time.

[Unknown]

So he's 17 by now.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

17. He's huge, but he's still quite useless.

[Unknown]

Well, you say that, but I think, you know, as we will see, he proves his worth.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

He does one good Thing, Tom, it's fair to say. Nelson says to Josiah, look, when I've gone, you take care of the ship. And Josiah says, the ship must take care of herself. And Nelson, supposing your poor mother was to lose us both. What will she do? And Josiah says to him, I will go with you this night if I never go again.

[Unknown]

You know, that's not useless.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

No, that's admirable.

[Unknown]

I guess it's brave and plucky, as we will see.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

It's just as well that he does. They set off late at night. They're rowing through the darkness. They approach this beach and then they hear Spanish voices. They are discovered, Tom. The bells are ringing, there's lanterns blazing. There's people firing guns and stuff. And Nelson thinks, oh, no, nightmare. People are falling into the sea. They're in danger of being caught in this crossfire, basically helpless. And Nelson, very Nelsonian behavior. He stands up, he draws his sword, he pushes through to the front of the boat. He's going to lead his men onto land, up the beach, just go for it. And at that point, he raises his sword. A shot hits him right in the right elbow. A few seconds he tries to stand upright, but then he staggers, he slumps, he falls down. Josiah is at his side.

[Unknown]

And this is where he proves his worth. Well, yes, the blood is pumping out. Josiah is appalled. He could easily have lost it, but he doesn't. And he's got a neckerchief and he takes it off and he ties it round Nelson's arm to give Nelson a tourniquet. And this basically saves Nelson's life. So they get him into a boat and they row him back to the Theseus to Nelson's ship. And the sailors see what's happened, see that, you know, his arm has gone. And so they lower a chair for him to sit on. But this is, you know, Nelson isn't going to sit in a chair. Way too undignified. And so he reaches for a rope with his one good arm. He then hauls himself up using his one arm.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Incredible.

[Unknown]

With the blood presumably still seeping out through Josiah's neckerchief, no matter how tight he's tied it. And he gets on the ship and he salutes using his left hand.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

He does. And he says to his men, tell the surgeon to get his instruments ready for I know I must lose my arm. And the sooner it is off, the better. Because of course, he's right. In this period, you're hitting the arm or a leg, the best thing to do is to get that off straight away and reduce the chance of infection or serious complications. So his help down to the cockpit. To be in the cockpit at this point is to be in a scene from hell. Yeah, probably. Blood everywhere. They've sanded the floor. The surgeon has got his sores ready. The surgeon's called Eshelby.

[Unknown]

Not Stephen Maturin.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

No, not Stephen Maturin. Now he can see straight away that Nelson's arm has been shattered above the elbow and that one of the arteries has been ruptured. And unless he can intervene, Nelson will die. They set up some sea chests as a makeshift table. Their surgeon's assistants put Nelson on his back. Then they tie a strap above his elbow. They use a screw to tighten the strap and then the men hold Nelson down. First of all, what Eshelby does, he slices open Nelson's arm and he gets forceps to pull out the arteries.

[Unknown]

And he's got thread, hasn't he? Silken thread. And he ties all the ends of the arteries up with thread. Yeah. And with the expectation that if the wound heals, the thread will just drop off.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Exactly.

[Unknown]

But actually, as we will see, that takes a bit of a time.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

And then he reaches. This is the point where if you're Nelson, you're thinking, could life get any worse? It can, because at this point, Eshelby reaches for his hand saw and begins to saw at Nelson's arm.

[Unknown]

And the thing that Nelson remembers is that it's cold.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

That's right, yes.

[Unknown]

The steel is cold. And, you know, he recovers from the operation. But from that point on, he orders that surgeons knives and saws should always be heated before any operation. Yeah, the one thing he takes from it.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

So to cut a long story short, the expedition has been a complete and utter disaster. Truebridge's men did get ashore. They ended up being trapped, I think, in a nunnery or something like that. The Spanish behave absolutely tremendously. They surrender to the Spanish and the Spanish say, well, you can go back to your ship. You know, you've had a crack, but that's fair enough. We all, you know, it's. It's war. These things happen.

[Unknown]

Fair in love and war.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

While you're waiting for your ship, they say, are you hungry?

[Unknown]

It's like some tapas.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

They bring them bread and cheese and wine. They say, if you've got injured men, we'll treat them in the hospital. Their commander. So we should say a word for the Spanish commander on Tenerife, who's Don Antonio Gutierrez. And as the British sailors put it, he showed that the old Spanish honor still flourished on the island of Tenerife.

[Unknown]

So fever Espana, Fever Espana is well done, Spain.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

The British had lost 150 men and gained absolutely nothing.

[Unknown]

But I mean, it's still not as bad as the Mosquito coast, is it?

[Dominic Sandbrook]

No, I guess not.

[Unknown]

So, you know, there's that, there's that to bear in mind.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Nelson has lost his right arm from just above the elbow and he's being dosed with laudanum. But he is in excruciating pain because one of these silk threads binding the arteries has got stuck in some obscure way and basically has not dropped off.

[Unknown]

No, and it won't drop off for months and months, will it? And it's constant agony as a result.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

His wound is still open and it's incredibly sore. So back they go and they're sailing back and he writes to St. Vincent. This is the first letter that we have from Nelson using his left hand. You can see it if you Google it online. Abysmally written, obviously, because he's using his wrong hand. But it's full of self pity, Dominic. What?

[Unknown]

You can't accuse Britain's greatest hero of self pity.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

No, Tom, come on.

[Unknown]

No, it's not self pity.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

He doesn't say these things happen.

[Unknown]

He's full of regret that he can no longer serve his country.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

He says the sooner I get to a very humble cottage, the better. I should make room for a better man to serve the state. I become a burden to my friends and useless to my country. When I leave your command, I shall become dead to the world. All of this kind of thing.

[Unknown]

That's not self pity.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

This is Tom, this is self pity.

[Unknown]

No, it's regret that he can no longer, he thinks, serve his country as he would like to. And I think that reflects very well on his patriotism.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

St. Vincent, who could have been very crossword Nelson, said, this stupid scheme of yours has gone horribly wrong and has cost the lives 150 people. He actually writes to him and says, don't worry about it. Mere mortals cannot command success.

[Unknown]

Well, he says to Nelson that he would be proud to bow to Nelson's stump, which I think reflects very well on, well, St. Vincent as he is now, isn't he?

[Dominic Sandbrook]

So effectively what he says to Nelson is, listen, don't worry, your career is not yet over and of course it isn't, because next week we will turn to what for me is possibly the most thrilling chapter in Nelson's life. One of the most glorious episodes, Tom, in British naval history.

[Unknown]

Hurrah.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

The hunt for Bonaparte and the Battle of the Nile.

[Unknown]

So, members of the Rest Is History Club, you can hear it right now. The rest of you, if you would like to join Nelson sailing to and fro across the Mediterranean and the hunt for Napoleon, you can sign [e-mail] but either way, we will be with you very soon. Toodlepip.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Bye bye. Now, Tom, we have something unbelievably exciting to share with our listeners, don't we?

[Unknown]

Absolutely we do, Dominic. It's that time of year again when you've got to find that perfect gift for the loved one in your life. And we are thrilled to help you with that challenge. We are announcing the launch of the Rest Is History merchandise. Yes, you can now own a piece of history. Literally. We've literally got shirts, mugs, phone cases, notebooks. So much. Just in time for Christmas.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Unbelievable scenes, Tom. Because these aren't just any shirts and mugs, Tom. These are exclusive wrestlers history designs and they have been designed specifically to outdo the Rory and Alastair T shirts that our friends on the Rest Is Politics team have been flogging on their tour of England. That they've done.

[Unknown]

That's right, Dominic. History will always trump politics. And our new merch truly is the perfect gift for any History fan, whether they're a friend of the show or, dare we say, someone who's not yet a friend of the show.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yeah, I mean, this is an unbelievably cunning wheeze, isn't it?

[Unknown]

Really is.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Because if you're a loyal friend of the show, you can buy a T shirt that proudly declares your allegiance. And if you still need convincing, you know who you are, then you can buy a not a friend of the show version as well.

[Unknown]

So you can make your point with a T shirt or a hoodie.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

It is the perfect icebreaker. And at parties. What's this you say you don't know the Rest Is History. Well, let me tell you. And you will have the perfect shirt while you talk to people about General Gordon or pigeons or the Kaiser or whatever it might be. So the possibilities are endless.

[Unknown]

And Dominic, there's lots more. There are sacral mugs, so that's brilliant. And maybe you're an Athelstan. You are catered for as well. Lots of Athelstan stuff. So truly, it's beyond a dream gift, isn't it?

[Dominic Sandbrook]

People, Tom, have never had it so good. And in fact, if you're a club member, there is a special discount code that will come in the newsletter for members. And if you order before the 1st of December, then you'll get this amazing discount and everything will be brilliant.

[Unknown]

So basically, this is going to be the best Christmas ever. So what you need to do is head over to www.goalhanger shop, grab your Rest is History gear, and make sure you order before the 1st of December if you're a club member to get that discount.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

Yeah, if you want to outdo your friends, especially people who listen to other Goal Hanger podcasts like the Rest is politics, this is absolutely the way to do it. So remember to head to www.goalhanger.shop to get your merch.

[Unknown]

And remember, club members order before 1 December to take advantage of that exclusive discount. And we'll be sharing on social media our favorite pictures of you in your restless history merch. So send these in over Christmas morning.

[Dominic Sandbrook]

And remember, that is www.goalhanger.shop.