GL:N2. Letter

GL:N2. Letter, signed by Nelson, to James Simpson, United States Consul in Morocco. 20 May 1797.

Gift of Sir George Grey.

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Transcript

Consul of the United States of America

May 20th 1797 Captain Gibraltar Bay

Sir

I am this moment honored with your letter of yesterday's date acquainting me that twelve sail of vessels belonging to the United States of America are now with their cargoes on board in the road of Malaga from which place they are unable to proceed on their respective voyages as three French privateers are laying ready to seize upon them the moment they are from under the guns of Malaga and that the masters are sure that the French Consul would adjudge them to be good prizes to those privateers, as they have seen in the course of this month several American vessels and cargoes adjudged by the French Consul at Malaga good prizes to them, and you having stated the impossibility of getting protection for them, except I shall be pleased to afford them the protection of His Majesty's Flag -

I shall immediately grant the protection you have requested by sending a frigate tomorrow off Malaga who shall protect them close to the coast of Barbary where you tell me they will consider themselves safe.

In thus freely granting the protection of the British flag to the subjects of the United States, I am sure of fulfilling the wishes of my sovereign, and I hope of strengthening the harmony which at present so happily subsists between the two nations

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient servt

Horatio Nelson

Notes

In February 1797 Nelson had distinguished himself at the Battle of Cape St Vincent off the Atlantic coast of Spain with his 74 gun battleship Captain. For this he received the Order of the Bath and the transformation from naval officer to popular hero began.

After the battle Admiral Jervis sent Nelson and a squadron of seven ships on detachment from the main fleet into the Mediterranean to assist with the British withdrawal from Elba. Despite the reduced strength of the British presence in the Mediterranean, it was nonetheless regarded as strong enough to protect United States trading vessels from the French. In reply to Consul Simpson’s request Nelson sent Andromache to escort the traders as far as the northern coast of Africa, the Barbary coast. Once there the ships’ safety would be assured by Morocco’s treaty of friendship with the United States.

The text of this letter was probably written by Nelson’s secretary Castang or a clerk. The only part in Nelson’s writing is the signature, which was written with his right hand. A month later, on 24 July, Nelson was wounded in the right arm during an attack on Santa Cruz in Tenerife. The arm was amputated and he had to learn to write left-handed.