Horatio Nelson Son of the Revd. Edmund Nelson and of Catherine (his wife) Suckling Sister of Maurice Suckling Esqr. late Controller of the Navy, was born at Burnham Thorp in the County of Norfolk on the 29th day of Sepr. 1759, was educated at the free School in Norwich and at North Walsham in the same county. He first went to sea with his Uncle on the 1st Janry. 1771 in the Raisonable of 64 Guns on the appearance of a War with Spain relative to Falkland Islands, Capt: Suckling being appointed to the Triumph a guardship in the Medway he sent H.N. a Voage to the West Indies in a West Indiaman with Mr Rathbone who had been a Mate in the Triumph 'till the expedition under Lord Mulgrave in 1773 was fitting for a Voyage towards the North Pole, when he was sent in the Carcass Bomb under the protection of that good man Capt. now Ad:l Lutwidge being paid off at Deptford on the 15th of Octr. he immediately embarked on board the Seahorse Capt. George Farmer and sail'd for the East Indies on Nov. 20th, 1773 where he served till March 1776 when from Ill health he returned in the Dolphin of 20 guns With Capt: now Ad:l Pigot, being paid off at Woolwich in Sept: 1776 he was appointed vy Adm:l Sir James Douglas to act as 4:th Lt: of the Worcester 64 Capt: M. Robinson who was on the point of sailing with a Convoy to Gibralter, On His Return from Gibralter in Ap:l 1777 having served his time and passed for a Lieut. he received a Commission for the Lowestoffe frigate Cap:t William Locker then fitting out at Sheerness for the Jamaica Station in which ship he served as 2nd L:t till Admiral Sir Peter Parker then Commander In Chief took him in June 1778 into the Flag Ship where he served 'till Decr. 1778 when he was made a Master and Commander into the Badger Brig, and was employed on the Mosquito Shore and in protecting the North side of Jamaica from the depredation of Privateers. On the 11th June 1779 he was promoted by the same Ad:l to be a post Capt and appointed to the Hinchinbroke of 28 guns in this ship he was sent to Cooperate with Capt. now Major Polson in an expedition ag:t Fort Juans and the Spanish settlements on the Isle of Nicaragua the fleet arrivied at the Harbour of S:t Juans on the 28:th March 1780 when there not being a Man who had ever been up the River or had any Idea of the distance of any fortification from its mouth, Cap:t Nelson manned several of the Mosquito Shore Craft & two of the Hin:e boats and carried the Soldiers up to the Castle of S:t Juan, storming the Lookout and fighting the Batteries till its surrender Ap:l 19:th 1780 (C) H.N. was then app:d to Command the Janus of 44 Guns which ship he was obliged to leave from exceeding ill health contracted on the late expedition, in Aug:t 1781 C.N. was appointed to the Ablemarle frigate in which ship he served in the North Sea, Canad, New York & the W:t Indies during the remainder of the War and was paid off in her at Portsmouth July 3:rd 1783. In March 1784 C.N. was commissioned to the Boreas frigate ready to sail for the leeward Island Station, during his service on this 'Station' he Prevented by an activity never exceeded the Contraband Trade carried with American vessels to the great prejudice on British shipping C.N. had also the opportunity of discovering great frauds in the expenditure of Public Money, and as the Naval Storekeeper is punished by Fire & Imprisonment it is to be hoped a stop will by this means be put to further embezzlement, being paid off Nov: 30:th 1787, he remained on shore till Jan:ry 31:t 1793 when he was appointed to the Agamemnon of 64 guns whilst belonging to that ship, fought four Sea Actions and upwards of 100 days actually in Battle ag:t the French.
Updated 1997-10-07 by Lars Bruzelius
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Copyright © 1996 Lars Bruzelius.