NELSON, HORATIO NELSON, VISCOUNT (1758-1805), duke of Bronte in Sicily, British naval hero, was born at the parsonage house of Burnham Thorpe, in Norfolk, on Sept. 29, 1758. His father, Edmund Nelson, was rector of the parish and his mother, Catherine Suckling, was a grandniece of Sir Robert Walpole (1st earl of Orford). This connection proved useless to the future admiral, who, in a letter his brother, the Rev. William Nelson, written in 1784, speaks of the Walpoles as "the merest set of cyphers that ever existed—in public affairs I mean." His uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling later became comptroller of the navy.
Early Life.—Horatio, who had received a summary, and broken, education at Norwich, Downham and North Walsham, was entered on the "Raisonnable" when Captain Suckling was appointed to her in 1770 on an alarm of war with Spain. The dispute was settled, and Captain Suckling was transferred to the "Triumph," the guardship at Chatham, whither he took his nephew. In order that the lad might have more practice than could be obtained in a harbour ship, his uncle sent him to the West Indies in a merchant vessel, and on his return gave him constant employment in boat work on the river. In a brief sketch of his life, which he drew up in 1799, Nelson says that in this way he became a good pilot for small vessels "from Chatham to the Tower of London, down the Swin, and the North Foreland; and confident of myself among rocks and sands, which has many times since been of great comfort to me." Between April and October of 1772 he served with Captain Lutwidge in the "Car cass," in an expedition to the Arctic seas under the command of Captain Phipps (Baron Mulgrave). On his return from the north he was sent to the East Indies in the "Seahorse," in which vessel he met his lifelong friend Thomas Troubridge. At the end of two years he was invalided home. In after times he spoke of the de pression under which he laboured during the return voyage, till "after a long and gloomy reverie, in which I almost wished myself overboard, a sudden glow of patriotism was kindled within me, and presented my king and my country as my patron. My mind exulted in the idea. 'Well then,' I exclaimed, 'I will be a hero, and, confiding in Providence, I will brave every danger.' " He spoke to friends of the "radiant orb" which from that hour hung ever before him, and "urged him onward to renown." On his return home he served during a short cruise in the "Worcester" frigate, passed his examination as lieutenant on April 9, 1777, and was confirmed in the rank next day. He went to the West Indies
with Captain Locker in the "Lowestoft" frigate, was transferred to the flagship of Sir Peter Parker (1721-1811), and was then promoted in rapid succession to the command of the "Badger" brig, and the "Hinchinbrook" frigate. By this appointment, which he received in 1779, he was placed in the rank of post captain (from which promotion to flag rank was by seniority), at the age of twenty. In the main he owed his rapid rise to his power of winning the affection of his comrades or superiors. Parker and his wife remained his friends through life.
Active Service.—In 1780 he saw his first active service in an expedition to San Juan de Nicaragua ; he was brought to death's door by fever, and invalided home once more. In 1781 he was appointed to the "Albemarle" frigate, and after some con voy service in the North Sea and the Sound was sent to New foundland and thence to the North American station. "Fair Canada," as he has recorded in one of his letters, gave him the good health he had so far never enjoyed. From Quebec he sailed for the West Indies where he made the personal acquaintance of Admiral Lord Hood. The admiral presented him to the duke of Clarence, afterwards King William IV., as an officer well quali fied to instruct him in "naval tactics"—a marked compliment to a very young officer from one of the greatest exponents of the art. He appeared, says the Prince, "to be the merest boy of a captain I ever beheld; and his dress was worthy of attention. He had on a full-laced uniform; his lank unpowdered hair was tied in a stiff Hessian tail of an extraordinary length ; the old-fash ioned flaps of his waistcoat added to the general quaintness of his figure, and produced an appearance which particularly attracted my notice ; for I had never seen anything like it before, nor could I imagine who he was or what he came about. My doubts were, however, removed when Lord Hood introduced me to him. There was something irresistibly pleasing in his address and conversa tion; and an enthusiasm, when speaking on professional subjects, that showed he was no common being." The slight oddity of ap pearance, the power to arouse affection, and the glow indicating the fire within, are noted by all who ever looked Nelson in the face.