According to legend, Nelson's last words were "Kiss me Hardy". But new evidence shows that his last words may have been something else.
Despite being outnumbered by a combined French/Spanish fleet only 449 British were killed compared to 4,400 French and Spanish thanks to Britain's more experienced and more skilful sailors and gunners. Not one of the Royal Navy's 27 ships in this battle was sunk or captured, but 21 of the Franco-Spanish ships were captured by the British and one blown up......
Were 'I have then lived long enough' Nelson's last words?
by RICHARD CREASY
3rd March 2007
An artist's portrayal of Nelson being shot aboard HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
The letters Robert Hilton sent home
It was Britain's greatest naval victory and for more than 200 years historians have analysed every detail.
Now, amazingly, a new eye-witness account of the Battle of Trafalgar has emerged during a house clear-out.
It gives not only a first-hand view of proceedings from the lower decks but also a different interpretation of one of history's most enduring arguments - Admiral Lord Nelson's dying words.
Robert Hilton was a 21-year-old surgeon's mate on HMS Swiftsure, a 74-gun ship that played its part in the destruction of the French and Spanish fleets and of Napoleon's dream of invading England.
It was 13 days later, after Swiftsure had made it through gales to Gibraltar for repairs that Hilton took up his pen and wrote a nine-page letter home on November 3, 1805.
In it he says Nelson's last words, relayed to his ship's company from Nelson's flag captain, Captain Hardy, were: "I have then lived long enough."
Many people believe Nelson said: "Kiss me Hardy." But historians rely on his surgeon's reports that he said: "Thank God I have done my duty."
An aspect of Hilton's letter that historians find intriguing is the sailor's compassion towards the enemy, of whom 4,400 were killed and 2,500 wounded (against British figures of 449 and 1,240) in five bloody hours.
He writes: "At 10pm the (French) Redoubtable went down. This was now the most dreadful scene I ever witnessed. We could distinctly hear the cries of the unhappy people we could no longer assist."
Nelson's ship, HMS Victory. She now enjoys her semi-retirement in Portsmouth, although she is still commissioned as the flagship of the admiral for the time being acting as Second Sea Lord in his role as Commander in Chief of the Royal Navy's Home Command (CINCNAVHOME).
The letter, sent to Hilton's brother William, was found at the home in Chestfield, Kent, of the sailor's great-great-great granddaughter, Judy Loveridge.
She said: "After my mother died I was left a bundle of family papers and never bothered to read them but my husband Mike is a keen military historian and his eyes lit up when he saw the letter after I had a clear-out. He couldn't believe it had remained a secret for so long."
Former paratrooper Mr Loveridge, 70, added: "I couldn't believe my eyes when I read his words. It was gripping stuff. I think Robert Hilton's story deserves to be put before the nation."
And it will be. Confirming the letter was genuine, Matthew Sheldon, head of research collections at the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth, said: "We have never had an account from the Swiftsure. This is a vital piece of history."
In the letter Hilton, who would have tended to Swifsure's casualties - 12 dead and 17 wounded - writes of the sadness as well as the glory...
"We hailed the Victory to enquire the health of Lord Nelson who we had heard was wounded at the commencement of the action when we received the melancholy information from Captain Hardy that this hero was no more.
"His dying words of this warlike Admiral were 'I have then lived long enough'. This unwelcome intelligence of his death troubled most sensibly those hearts that were but a moment previous elated with the success.
"Our gallant seamen now paused to pay tribute due to the memory of so great a character.
The death of Nelson. Trafalgar, though, was an overwhelming victory for the British inflicting 10 times more damage on the enemy than the enemy inflicted upon them.
Describing the day's action and the "conquer or die" spirit of his shipmates...
"At five am to the universal satisfaction of all our seamen the enemy fleet hove in sight. We with the greatest of alacrity made all possible sail in chase.
"At half past twelve the Royal Sovereign (another of Nelson's fleet) commenced the action with a fire of thunder breaking through their line...we had the pleasure of seeing several of the enemy's ships completely dismasted.
"We were at this time nearly alongside of the enemy's lee line. The first ship that fired into us was a Spanish three-decker.
"Now it was that our seamen displayed that nautical skill which ranked them superior to every nation.
The Victory was at this time to be observed in the heat of the action.
"A broadside or two from us reduced a French 80-gun ship named L'Aigle to the necessity of hauling down her colours.
"When we first fired into her, Defiance (another British ship) boarded her and were driving the Frenchmen overboard in all directions.
"The (other) ships' companies crowded upon the beams, poops and quarters and every part of the ships to cheer us which they did by giving loud 'huzzas' which we were not dilatory in returning.
And of the sinking of the Redoubtable as HMS Victory and Temeraire poured cannon fire into her...
"Previous to the action she had on board 800 men. Nearly 500 were killed or wounded in action and many of the surviving 300 perished.
"What added to the horrors of the night was the inability of our saving them all as we could no longer entrust the lives of our men in open boats at the mercy of a heavy sea and most violent gale of wind."
A family portrait of Robert Hilton painted after he returned from the Battle of Trafalgar was also left to Mrs Loveridge.
"Records show he had joined the Navy a year earlier but nothing is known of him thereafter other than that he died 32 years later aged 53 in the village of Selling in Kent.
"He was good-looking young man and he did his bit for his country,' said Mrs Loveridge, "I think he deserves to be heard, even 200 years later."
dailymail.co.uk
Despite being outnumbered by a combined French/Spanish fleet only 449 British were killed compared to 4,400 French and Spanish thanks to Britain's more experienced and more skilful sailors and gunners. Not one of the Royal Navy's 27 ships in this battle was sunk or captured, but 21 of the Franco-Spanish ships were captured by the British and one blown up......
Were 'I have then lived long enough' Nelson's last words?
by RICHARD CREASY
3rd March 2007
The letters Robert Hilton sent home
It was Britain's greatest naval victory and for more than 200 years historians have analysed every detail.
Now, amazingly, a new eye-witness account of the Battle of Trafalgar has emerged during a house clear-out.
It gives not only a first-hand view of proceedings from the lower decks but also a different interpretation of one of history's most enduring arguments - Admiral Lord Nelson's dying words.
Robert Hilton was a 21-year-old surgeon's mate on HMS Swiftsure, a 74-gun ship that played its part in the destruction of the French and Spanish fleets and of Napoleon's dream of invading England.
It was 13 days later, after Swiftsure had made it through gales to Gibraltar for repairs that Hilton took up his pen and wrote a nine-page letter home on November 3, 1805.
In it he says Nelson's last words, relayed to his ship's company from Nelson's flag captain, Captain Hardy, were: "I have then lived long enough."
Many people believe Nelson said: "Kiss me Hardy." But historians rely on his surgeon's reports that he said: "Thank God I have done my duty."
An aspect of Hilton's letter that historians find intriguing is the sailor's compassion towards the enemy, of whom 4,400 were killed and 2,500 wounded (against British figures of 449 and 1,240) in five bloody hours.
He writes: "At 10pm the (French) Redoubtable went down. This was now the most dreadful scene I ever witnessed. We could distinctly hear the cries of the unhappy people we could no longer assist."
Nelson's ship, HMS Victory. She now enjoys her semi-retirement in Portsmouth, although she is still commissioned as the flagship of the admiral for the time being acting as Second Sea Lord in his role as Commander in Chief of the Royal Navy's Home Command (CINCNAVHOME).
The letter, sent to Hilton's brother William, was found at the home in Chestfield, Kent, of the sailor's great-great-great granddaughter, Judy Loveridge.
She said: "After my mother died I was left a bundle of family papers and never bothered to read them but my husband Mike is a keen military historian and his eyes lit up when he saw the letter after I had a clear-out. He couldn't believe it had remained a secret for so long."
Former paratrooper Mr Loveridge, 70, added: "I couldn't believe my eyes when I read his words. It was gripping stuff. I think Robert Hilton's story deserves to be put before the nation."
And it will be. Confirming the letter was genuine, Matthew Sheldon, head of research collections at the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth, said: "We have never had an account from the Swiftsure. This is a vital piece of history."
In the letter Hilton, who would have tended to Swifsure's casualties - 12 dead and 17 wounded - writes of the sadness as well as the glory...
"We hailed the Victory to enquire the health of Lord Nelson who we had heard was wounded at the commencement of the action when we received the melancholy information from Captain Hardy that this hero was no more.
"His dying words of this warlike Admiral were 'I have then lived long enough'. This unwelcome intelligence of his death troubled most sensibly those hearts that were but a moment previous elated with the success.
"Our gallant seamen now paused to pay tribute due to the memory of so great a character.
The death of Nelson. Trafalgar, though, was an overwhelming victory for the British inflicting 10 times more damage on the enemy than the enemy inflicted upon them.
Describing the day's action and the "conquer or die" spirit of his shipmates...
"At five am to the universal satisfaction of all our seamen the enemy fleet hove in sight. We with the greatest of alacrity made all possible sail in chase.
"At half past twelve the Royal Sovereign (another of Nelson's fleet) commenced the action with a fire of thunder breaking through their line...we had the pleasure of seeing several of the enemy's ships completely dismasted.
"We were at this time nearly alongside of the enemy's lee line. The first ship that fired into us was a Spanish three-decker.
"Now it was that our seamen displayed that nautical skill which ranked them superior to every nation.
The Victory was at this time to be observed in the heat of the action.
"A broadside or two from us reduced a French 80-gun ship named L'Aigle to the necessity of hauling down her colours.
"When we first fired into her, Defiance (another British ship) boarded her and were driving the Frenchmen overboard in all directions.
"The (other) ships' companies crowded upon the beams, poops and quarters and every part of the ships to cheer us which they did by giving loud 'huzzas' which we were not dilatory in returning.
And of the sinking of the Redoubtable as HMS Victory and Temeraire poured cannon fire into her...
"Previous to the action she had on board 800 men. Nearly 500 were killed or wounded in action and many of the surviving 300 perished.
"What added to the horrors of the night was the inability of our saving them all as we could no longer entrust the lives of our men in open boats at the mercy of a heavy sea and most violent gale of wind."
A family portrait of Robert Hilton painted after he returned from the Battle of Trafalgar was also left to Mrs Loveridge.
"Records show he had joined the Navy a year earlier but nothing is known of him thereafter other than that he died 32 years later aged 53 in the village of Selling in Kent.
"He was good-looking young man and he did his bit for his country,' said Mrs Loveridge, "I think he deserves to be heard, even 200 years later."
dailymail.co.uk
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