10 - The Mediterranean and Corsica, 1793–1795

Summary

When war eventually broke out with Revolutionary France in early 1793, Nelson was offered command of the 64-gun battleship HMS Agamemnon. He found himself once again under the command of his friend and mentor, Lord Hood, who had been appointed Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean. So began four intensive years of active service, during which he rose from an obscure captain to become a knight, admiral and national hero.

He obviously revelled in his new ship. More lightly armed than their larger 74-gun sisters, the 64-gun Third Rate battleships were considered oldfashioned by 1793 and the smallest acceptable unit for a battlefleet. On the other hand, they were faster and more manoeuvrable than their heavier sisters and, as Nelson was to show, in the hands of an imaginative and skilful captain could still be very useful ships. Almost at once, he demonstrated her capabilities by chasing a squadron of French frigates among dangerous shoals off Cape Barfleur, handling his bigger ship as if she was herself a frigate. Clearly pleased with his achievement, he sent detailed reports of the incident to Lord Hood and to his friend and patron Sir Peter Parker, then serving as Commanderin- Chief at Portsmouth. Both versions have been located recently in the National Archive, and the one to Parker is printed here (166). This habit of sending reports of his actions to influential people, who were well-placed to circulate them, was to become increasingly common in the following years.

In June 1793, Hood finally sailed with his fleet to his war station in the Mediterranean. There, Nelson's role tended to be unconventional, involving much detached duty – and the impulse to make sure that his services were accurately recorded continued. It can be seen in the letter to his brother Maurice describing his action with a squadron of French frigates in September 1793 (194). This accompanied a more formal account of the action – in effect, a ‘press release’ – which, as Nelson told Maurice, ‘I would have inserted in the Newspaper.’ Revealingly, Nelson goes on to explain that he realises that Lord Hood will be too busy to send home an account of such a minor action – which is why he wants Maurice to make sure the formal account is published.