Horatio Nelson, vice-admiral of the white of the British Royal Navy, was born on this day in 1758. If you’re American, you’re probably asking, “Who?” But for a British person, Nelson is one of the country’s great heroes, known for his patriotism and tactical brilliance.
Nelson’s first taste of war was in the West Indies, fighting the Americans in their War of Independence. When given command of a frigate at just 20 years old, he sailed down to the coast of Nicaragua to fight the Spanish allies of the colonial rebels.
His next command would be against the French in 1793, after war broke out between the revolutionary government and its neighboring countries. In one of his many battles in the Mediterranean, he was injured by debris and left partially sightless in one eye.
Later, in 1797 while fighting the Spanish (again allies of a revolutionary power fighting the British), he won a stupendous victory by cutting through the middle of an enemy fleet, dividing it into two parts. Shortly thereafter, as a newly minted rear admiral, Nelson suffered another grave injury when his elbow was shattered by enemy fire, forcing his arm to be amputated.
France and Britain signed a peace treaty in 1802, but were back at war three years later. Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was putting together a fleet of Spanish and French troops large enough to invade England, and it was Nelson’s job to stop that from happening. He chased the enemy commander down to the southern coast of Spain, where the Battle of Trafalgar broke out. Aboard the fittingly named Victory, Nelson managed to command his force so well that they captured a jaw-dropping 15 enemy ships. In the process, though, he was shot by a French sniper and killed.
