NELSON, Horatio, Admiral (1758-1805). Autograph letter to Lady Hamilton, 'St George - May 8th, 1801 - Baltic' , writing in considerable despondency and anger, 'My dearest Friend under your kind care I might recover and trust in God I shall be supported till that time arrives. You understand everything in what I have said, for this letter will be read 10 times at least before you get it. I trust another admiral is on his way to superseed (sic) me for it is downright murder to keep me here. If I could fight a battle the smell of powder and exertion might cheer one for the moment', chafing at inactivity, mentioning other letters but he has not heard that they have reached her, affirming himself to be 'firm as a rock' and 'whilst I live my honour is sacred', with a subscription on the second page, 'May the heavens bless you & yours and ever believe me your most truly affectionate', [without signature] but then continuing with a further outburst, 'Damn our enemies - Bless our friends - Amen Amen Amen - I am not such a hypocrite as to bless them that hate us, or if a man smote me on the cheek to turn the other cheek, no, knock him down By God', and repudiating accusations made against him in the press, 3 pages, 4to , addressed on verso of 2nd leaf to Lady Hamilton at 23 Piccadilly (seal tear, repaired). Nelson writes in understandable frustration, his hopes of returning to London and to Emma Hamilton's side having been dashed four days earlier, even as his heavy baggage was being loaded on to the Blanche . He had applied for home leave when a sixteen week armistice was agreed in April, and was at the point of departure on May 4th when Sir Hyde Parker was abruptly ordered home, and Nelson appointed to succeed him in the Baltic command. Convinced that he would be left to languish in a station where there would be no battles and where prize-taking was forbidden, his first action was to send an urgent message to St. Vincent to send someone else. This may perhaps have prompted him to send in the present letter the reassurances which Emma is to convey to his friends. Had the command been given him in February he writes, many lives would have been saved 'but the wise heads at home know everything'. Evidently smarting from criticisms in the London newspapers of his decisions at Copenhagen to send the Flag of Truce and negotiate the armistice, he has sent separately his replies, for her to 'get some able friend to fit them for the public eye'. Two letters of the same date to Lady Hamilton are quoted in Morrison, II, 145-146.
NELSON, Horatio, Admiral (1758-1805). Autograph letter to Lady Hamilton, 'St George - May 8th, 1801 - Baltic' , writing in considerable despondency and anger, 'My dearest Friend under your kind care I might recover and trust in God I shall be supported till that time arrives. You understand everything in what I have said, for this letter will be read 10 times at least before you get it. I trust another admiral is on his way to superseed (sic) me for it is downright murder to keep me here. If I could fight a battle the smell of powder and exertion might cheer one for the moment', chafing at inactivity, mentioning other letters but he has not heard that they have reached her, affirming himself to be 'firm as a rock' and 'whilst I live my honour is sacred', with a subscription on the second page, 'May the heavens bless you & yours and ever believe me your most truly affectionate', [without signature] but then continuing with a further outburst, 'Damn our enemies - Bless our friends - Amen Amen Amen - I am not such a hypocrite as to bless them that hate us, or if a man smote me on the cheek to turn the other cheek, no, knock him down By God', and repudiating accusations made against him in the press, 3 pages, 4to , addressed on verso of 2nd leaf to Lady Hamilton at 23 Piccadilly (seal tear, repaired). Nelson writes in understandable frustration, his hopes of returning to London and to Emma Hamilton's side having been dashed four days earlier, even as his heavy baggage was being loaded on to the Blanche . He had applied for home leave when a sixteen week armistice was agreed in April, and was at the point of departure on May 4th when Sir Hyde Parker was abruptly ordered home, and Nelson appointed to succeed him in the Baltic command. Convinced that he would be left to languish in a station where there would be no battles and where prize-taking was forbidden, his first action was to send an urgent message to St. Vincent to send someone else. This may perhaps have prompted him to send in the present letter the reassurances which Emma is to convey to his friends. Had the command been given him in February he writes, many lives would have been saved 'but the wise heads at home know everything'. Evidently smarting from criticisms in the London newspapers of his decisions at Copenhagen to send the Flag of Truce and negotiate the armistice, he has sent separately his replies, for her to 'get some able friend to fit them for the public eye'. Two letters of the same date to Lady Hamilton are quoted in Morrison, II, 145-146.
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