Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Dedication
- Nelson – In His Own Words
- Introduction
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Map
- PART ONE The Man and the Admiral
- PART TWO The Hero Emerges: 1777–1797
- PART THREE Squadron Commander, Mediterranean: 1798–1800
- PART FOUR Northern Waters: 1801
- PART FIVE Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean: 1803–1805
- PART SIX The Trafalgar Campaign: January–October 1805
- Appendices
- 1 Chronology
- 2 Nelson's Ships
- 3 A Nelsonian ‘Who's Who’
- Bibliography
- Index
2 - Nelson's Ships
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 October 2017
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Dedication
- Nelson – In His Own Words
- Introduction
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Map
- PART ONE The Man and the Admiral
- PART TWO The Hero Emerges: 1777–1797
- PART THREE Squadron Commander, Mediterranean: 1798–1800
- PART FOUR Northern Waters: 1801
- PART FIVE Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean: 1803–1805
- PART SIX The Trafalgar Campaign: January–October 1805
- Appendices
- 1 Chronology
- 2 Nelson's Ships
- 3 A Nelsonian ‘Who's Who’
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Even though his life is so well–documented, biographies of Nelson are sometimes vague, or even inaccurate, about the ships in which he served and the exact periods during which he served in them. This is scarcely surprising, since such information is often taken from his autobiographical Sketch of My Life and it now appears that some of the dates he gave are wrong.
Recent research into the logs of the ships in which Nelson is known to have served, together with information that has emerged from the Nelson Letters Project, has enabled an accurate list to be created.
March–May 1771
Raisonnable (64-gun battleship), Capt Maurice Suckling, Midshipman
Nelson was borne on the ‘books’ of the Raisonnable from 1 January 1771 but did not actually join the ship until 15 March.
May 1771–May 1773
Triumph (74-gun battleship), Thames Guardship, Capt Maurice Suckling Captain's Servant, then Midshipman
Although he continued to be borne on the Triumph's ‘books’, from May 1771 to July 1772 Nelson was in fact serving on board a West Indies merchantman, the Mary Anne, commanded by John Rathbone
May–October 1773
Carcass (8-gun bombvessel), Capt Skeffington Lutwidge, Polar Expedition Captain's Coxswain
October 1773
Triumph (74-gun battleship), Capt Maurice Suckling Midshipman
October 1773–March 1776
Seahorse (24–gun frigate), Capt George Farmer Able Seaman, then Midshipman
March–September 1776
Dolphin (24-gun frigate) Capt James Pigot
Midshipman September 1776–April 1777
Worcester (64-gun battleship), Capt Mark Robinson Midshipman and Acting Lieutenant
April–December 1777
Lowestoffe (32-gun frigate), Capt William Locker Lieutenant
December 1777–July 1778
Little Lucy
Nelson commanded this schooner, as a ‘tender’ to Lowestoffe
July–December 1778
Bristol (50-gun battleship), Flagship of Sir Peter Parker Lieutenant
December 1778–June 1779
Badger (16-gun brig) Master and Commander
June 1779–March 1780
Hinchingbrook (28–gun frigate) Post Captain
March–September 1780
Janus (44-gun frigate) Captain
Athough nominally in command of the Janus, Nelson was so ill following the Nicaraguan campaign that he was never able to serve in her
September/October 1780
Lion (64-gun battleship), Capt. Hon. William Cornwallis For passage home only
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Nelson - the New Letters , pp. 456 - 460Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2005