@white2005nelson
White, Colin. Nelson: The New Letters. Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2005.
Summary
The definitive collection of previously unpublished Nelson letters, assembled by the late director of the Royal Naval Museum. Over 500 letters covering Nelson’s entire career — personal, professional, and intimate correspondence. Essential primary source for any Nelson research.
Credibility Assessment
- Type: Primary (original letters) edited by a leading secondary authority
- Author expertise: Colin White was director of the Royal Naval Museum Portsmouth — the foremost Nelson scholar of his generation
- Peer reviewed: No — scholarly monograph
- Known biases or limitations: Selection reflects White’s editorial judgment; some letters remain in private collections
Key Claims and Page References
- p.112 — Nelson writing dispatches with his left hand within days of Tenerife amputation
- p.287 — Nelson’s prayer written the night before Trafalgar
- p.312 — “England expects” signal flag message context
Verbatim Quotes
(verbatim quotes live here only)
“I never saw a man in our profession who possessed the magic art of infusing the same spirit into others which inspired their own actions.” — Captain Hardy on Nelson, p.301
Notes Used In
- San Rafael — Spanish 80
- Firme — Spanish 74
- Guillaume Tell — French 80-gun Ship
- Franklin — French 80-gun Ship
- Tonnant — French 80-gun Ship
- Spartiate — French Ship of the Line
- HMS Leander — 50-gun Fourth Rate
- Príncipe de Asturias — Spanish First Rate
- San José — Spanish 112-gun First Rate
- San Nicolás — Spanish 84-gun Third Rate
- Salvador del Mundo — Spanish 112-gun First Rate
- San Ysidro — Spanish 74-gun Third Rate
- Tsar Paul I of Russia
- Tsar Alexander I of Russia
- Westcott George — British Captain
- HMS Majestic — 74-gun Third Rate
- Córdova José de — Spanish Admiral
- Calder Robert — British Admiral
- Stewart William — Lt-Col
- Crown Prince Frederik — Denmark
- Second Coalition 1798–1802
- Egyptian Expedition 1798–1801
- Finisterre Prizes — 22 July 1805
- Troubridge Thomas — British Captain
- Treaty of San Ildefonso 1796
- Baltic Naval Stores — 1800–1801
- HMS Excellent — 74-gun Third Rate
- Four Spanish Prizes of Cape St Vincent 1797
- League of Armed Neutrality of the North 1800–1801
- Berry Edward — British Captain
- HMS Culloden — 74-gun Third Rate
- Nelson’s Patent Bridge for Boarding First Rates
- Foley Thomas — British Captain
- King’s Deep Soundings — Copenhagen 1 April 1801
- HMS Goliath — 74-gun Third Rate
- HMS Vanguard — Nelson’s Nile Flagship
- Nelson’s Prayer Before Trafalgar — Text, Context, and Providential Belief
- England Expects Signal — Trafalgar 1805
- Battle of Trafalgar 1805 — Death of Nelson
- Trekroner Fort — Copenhagen
- Brueys d’Aigalliers François-Paul — French Admiral
- Fischer Olfert — Danish Commodore
- HMS Agamemnon — Overview
- Hyde Parker — British Admiral
- HMS Elephant — 74-gun Third Rate
- Copenhagen — Denmark
- Aboukir Bay — Egypt
- L’Orient — French 120-gun Flagship
- Cadiz — Spanish Naval Port
- HMS Captain — 74-gun Third Rate
- Santísima Trinidad — Spanish First Rate
- Line of Battle — Naval Tactic
- Latouche-Tréville Louis-René — French Admiral
- Redoutable — French 74-gun Ship
- First Rate Ship of the Line — Class Overview
- Trafalgar Campaign 1805
- Battle of Cape Finisterre 1805 (populated as vault notes cite this source)