History over the Water

January/February 2006 Historically Speaking 43 History over the Water Derek Wilson May the Great God whom I worship Grant to my Country and for the benefit of Europe in General a great and Glorious victory, and may no misconduct in any one tarnish it, and may humanity after Victory be the predominant feature in the British Fleet. For myself individually I commit my life to Him who made me, and may his blessing light upon my endeavours for serving My Country faithfully, to Him I resign myself and the Just cause which is entrusted to me to Defend. Amen. Amen. Amen. -Admiral Nelson I write this essay on the evening of October 21, 2005. From across the valley I hear the pops and whines ofbursting rockets. Someone is having a firework party. I have just been watching on television one of those exercises in military pageantry which, if I may be forgiven for saying so, the Brits still do better than anyone else—the band of the Royal Marines beating the retreat at Portsmouth in front ofthe Queen and assembled naval dignitaries . Following this, her majesty went aboard HMS Victory to dine in the admiral's day cabin. All this, of course, because today is Trafalgar Day and we are being exhorted to remember Britain's greatest naval victory, exactly 200 years ago, and the death of one of our major national heroes. And how we have responded! It is estimated that over 6000 special events have been staged throughout the country. Church bells have been rung. A chain of beacons has been set ablaze. Commemorative plaques have been unveiled. Religious services have been held and wreaths laid at Nelson's tomb in St. Paul's Cathedral. The journey of Lieutenant Lapenotière has been reenacted. It was he who left the scene ofthe battle in the fast schooner, HMS Pickle, landed at Falmouth, then traveled overland by chaise to Westminster to carry the news of the victory. There have been TV programs and exhibitions aplenty. Bizarrely, at one site in Devon a half-size replica of Nelson's flagship was burned. And, of course, there has been a plethora ofnew books. To my knowledge, at least twenty celebratory volumes worthy ofcritical notice have appeared, and there have been as many again churned out by publishers who believe that they must be seen to be involved in the national celebration. This takes no account of special packs and study guides produced for schools. The anniversary has provided the impetus for important new research and major biographies offering fresh perspectives. Inevitably, it has also spawned catchpenny efforts of little interest beyond the bringing together of striking illustrations, some of which were hitherto little known. This explosion of activities appealing to every emotion from scholarly curiosity to rabid nationalism raises all sorts of questions for historians . We should, presumably , welcome anything that provokes interest in Trafalgar Square and the past, but does that include endorsing uncritical hero worship or triumphalist nationalism? What impact does the extravagant celebration of a 200-year-old trouncing of a Franco-Spanish fleet have on contemporary dreams of pan-Europeanism? Important though Trafalgar undoubtedly was in terms of Britain's struggle with Napoleon, are we in danger of investing this single victory with too much historical significance? In what ways does all the new academic work enhance or alter our understanding of that complex character, Horatio Nelson? To take this last, simpler, question first, what has struck me from the recent scholarly literature, is Nelson's intense interest in PR. Take, for example, his famous prayer (quoted Congress, Prints and ppmsc-08573]. National Gallery, London, England, ca. 1900. Library of Photographs Division [reproduction number, LC-DIGabove ) written in his journal before his last battle. In its dramatic context it is a moving religious testimony but it is also a well thought out personal apologia directed not at the Almighty, but at the leaders ofthe nation. This is emphasized by Colin White who points out in Nelson—The New Letters that the admiral left two copies ofthis prayer in order to ensure its survival. Nelson remained to the end an overweeningly ambitious man who cared passionately what...