I In Jammry 1. 1501, Nelson was promoted to be and he Was assigned to the com mand of Sir I lyde Parker, who was to coerce the Northern Confederation. This league. composed of the States on the Baltic. had been maintaining an' armed neutrality which in truth w•as only a veiled attempt to aid Napoleon. Nelson ad vised an attack on the strongest member of the confederacy, 'Russia; but his daring plan was not followed, and instead the whole fleet sailed for Denmark. In a bold assault on the Danish fleet at Copenhagen, Nelson was victorious (April 2, 1801), and the Danes were compelled on April 9th to sign an armistice, which tied their bands, but left the English free. it was during the en gagement of April 2d that Nelson, having re ceived an order early in the day to cease action, placed his telescope to his blind eye and said, "1 really do not see the signal." On Slay 5, 1801, Nelson was appointed commander-in-chief in place of Parker. lie immediately proceeded to carry out his plan of attacking Russia, hut found, when be arrived at Revel, that the Czar Paul had been murdered on March 24th, and his son and successor, Alexander I., was pre paring to follow another policy. For his ser vices in this campaign Nelson was created a viscount, lie returned to England and lived with the Mnitions. After some slight service in the Channel, the Peace of Amiens closed the war. and on October 22, 1801, Nelson left his ship.
Peace, however, proved of short duration, and on Slay 18, 1803, Nelson raised his flag on the Victory as commander-in-chief of the Mediter ranean fleet. For two years he blockaded Toulon and kept a watchful eye on affairs, hut Vil leneuve escaped from Toulon with the French fleet on Starch 30, 1805. Napoleon was preparing at Boulogne to invade England, and for this pur pose the different French fleets were to unite and cover the expedition. A most exciting chase fol lowed, in which Nelson pursued Villeneuve to the \Vest Indies and back to the coast of Spain, but the French admiral was unable to elude Nelson and the other English admirals long enough to give Napoleon any opportunity of crossing the Channel. Villeneuve finally put in at Cadiz and
Napoleon marched against Austria, which had declared war against him. Thus England was saved.
Nelson now blockaded Villeneuve at Cadiz, but Napoleon was threatening to disgrace his ad miral for not fighting, and consequently, when Nelson had to send six vessels to Gibraltar for water, Villeneuve seized the opportunity and started to leave his shelter on October 19, 1805, and on October 21st took place the famous battle off Cape Trafalgar (q.v.). Before beginning battle Nelson gave his now famous signal, "Eng land expects that every man will do his duty." The victory was complete, but Nelson was mor tally wounded, and (lied on the afternoon of October 21, 1805, with the words "Thank God, I have done my duty." By his final great victory he had destroyed the combined French and Span ish fleets, and Napoleon's hope of erecting a naval power vanished forever. Nelson thus con tributed immensely to the final destruction of the Napoleonic ambitions, for without the control of the sea England would have been unable to wage her long contest. Nelson was buried at Saint Paul's Cathedral, London, on January 9, 1s06. amid extraordinary public demonstrations.
BIBLIOGRAPHY. Sicilian, Life of Nelson (2d ed.. Bibliography. Sicilian, Life of Nelson (2d ed.. Boston, 1899), is the latest and best account. The best recent brief accounts are: Lamditon, Nelson (New York. 1895). and Russell, Horatio Nelson (2d ed., ih.. 1899). The hest and most complete of the old books is Clarke and McArthur, Life of Nelson (2d ed., London, 1S48), though the best known is the popular and untrustworthy Southey, Life of Nelson (ib., 1813). A u/son's Dispatches and Letters, edited by Nicolas (Lon don, 1811-46), and The A e/sun and Hamilton Pa in rs, 17.7)64815, published by Morrison (ib.. 1893 91), arc the most important primary authorities. Jeatfreson, Lady Hamilton and Lord ascot (21 cd., New York, 1897) and The Vacen of Naples awl Lord Nelson (Loinlon, 18891, and GigIMIL Naples in 1799 (New York, 1902), are the most recent books on the most perplexing problem in Nelson's life.