NELSON, Horatio, Viscount (1758-1805). Autograph letter signed ('Horatio Nelson'), with his right hand, to Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood, commander of the Mediterranean fleet, 'Battery', noon, 7 July 1794, 2 pages, 8vo , bifolium, docket (small tear along base of central fold, remnant of seal). Provenance : Christie's, 20 June 1990, lot 199.
NELSON, Horatio, Viscount (1758-1805). Autograph letter signed ('Horatio Nelson'), with his right hand, to Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood, commander of the Mediterranean fleet, 'Battery', noon, 7 July 1794, 2 pages, 8vo , bifolium, docket (small tear along base of central fold, remnant of seal). Provenance : Christie's, 20 June 1990, lot 199. ' THE FEIGNT [SIC] ON MONACHESCO SUCCEEDED MOST AMAZINGLY WELL NOT A SHOT WAS FIRED ON US '; Nelson relays to his commanding officer in the Mediterranean the success of his decoy manoeuvre, effected in advance of the siege of Calvi. He notes there were some losses, but far fewer than might have been expected: 'from unavoidable circumstances our guns could not be mounted on the platforms till two hours after day light, and being within grape shot of the Enemy it is wonderful our loss has not been greater, Your Lordship will be sorry to hear that Captain Serocold is amongst the killed, the Agamemnon lost one Seaman & a Mate of a Transport had his leg shot off, the Troops had a Sergt & 2 privates killed'. Nelson concludes by noting with satisfaction the strategic advantage gained by the manoeuvre -- 'Our battery seems to have had a good effect on the Cavaliere of the Mozelle the two guns facing us being silenced', adding in a postscript that 'Captain Hallowell and myself feel ourselves fully equal to the duty here'. Nelson had been involved in operations around Calvi since 19 June: the feint on Monachesco, to the southwest of the town, was intended to occupy the attention of the French whilst Nelson established a battery close to the French position at the Mozelle, which fell just two days later. It was whilst directing operations at a similar battery only five days after this letter, on 12 July, that Nelson sustained damage to his right eye from stones ricocheting from enemy shot, leading to the permanent loss of sight in the eye. Calvi eventually surrendered on 10 August.
NELSON, Horatio, Viscount (1758-1805). Autograph letter signed ('Horatio Nelson'), with his right hand, to Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood, commander of the Mediterranean fleet, 'Battery', noon, 7 July 1794, 2 pages, 8vo , bifolium, docket (small tear along base of central fold, remnant of seal). Provenance : Christie's, 20 June 1990, lot 199.
NELSON, Horatio, Viscount (1758-1805). Autograph letter signed ('Horatio Nelson'), with his right hand, to Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood, commander of the Mediterranean fleet, 'Battery', noon, 7 July 1794, 2 pages, 8vo , bifolium, docket (small tear along base of central fold, remnant of seal). Provenance : Christie's, 20 June 1990, lot 199. ' THE FEIGNT [SIC] ON MONACHESCO SUCCEEDED MOST AMAZINGLY WELL NOT A SHOT WAS FIRED ON US '; Nelson relays to his commanding officer in the Mediterranean the success of his decoy manoeuvre, effected in advance of the siege of Calvi. He notes there were some losses, but far fewer than might have been expected: 'from unavoidable circumstances our guns could not be mounted on the platforms till two hours after day light, and being within grape shot of the Enemy it is wonderful our loss has not been greater, Your Lordship will be sorry to hear that Captain Serocold is amongst the killed, the Agamemnon lost one Seaman & a Mate of a Transport had his leg shot off, the Troops had a Sergt & 2 privates killed'. Nelson concludes by noting with satisfaction the strategic advantage gained by the manoeuvre -- 'Our battery seems to have had a good effect on the Cavaliere of the Mozelle the two guns facing us being silenced', adding in a postscript that 'Captain Hallowell and myself feel ourselves fully equal to the duty here'. Nelson had been involved in operations around Calvi since 19 June: the feint on Monachesco, to the southwest of the town, was intended to occupy the attention of the French whilst Nelson established a battery close to the French position at the Mozelle, which fell just two days later. It was whilst directing operations at a similar battery only five days after this letter, on 12 July, that Nelson sustained damage to his right eye from stones ricocheting from enemy shot, leading to the permanent loss of sight in the eye. Calvi eventually surrendered on 10 August.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
