Lot 92
Battle of Trafalgar
Rare Books, Maps & Manuscripts
Auction: Rare Books, Maps & Manuscripts
Description
A letter from a midshipman 'Robinson', on board the Mars, written to his mother (Mrs Robinson of Clermiston at Number 2 Nile Street, Edinburgh), eight days after the action at the Battle of Trafalgar, describing the battle and his part in it, as well as a copy of the letter sent by Admiral Collingwood following Nelson's death, 4 pages, each around 370x277mm, with address and postmarks to final page, the letter has been written on blank pages torn from a register of service personnel, some dust-soiling and a few other stains, numerous repairs made with tape and some text lacking due to a few missing areas of the final page
Footnote
Note: This is a remarkable letter detailing one Scottish midshipman's experiences during the Battle of Trafalgar. The sailor writes to his mother, with tales such as:
"Judge of our situation we engaged five ships at one time Captain Duff realised about with steady fortitude and said my God what shall we do there is a spanish three decker raking us ahead a French one under the stern in a few minutes our port? Was totally cleared the quarter deck and forcastle? nearly the same only the Boatswain and myself and three men left alive it was then the gallant Captain fell I saw him fall his head and neck were taken entirely off his body when the men heard it they held his dead body up and gave three cheers to show they were not discouraged by it and then returned to their guns we fought two hours and a half without intermission and when the smoke cleared away we found five ships had sunk"
'Robinson' expresses much admiration for Admiral Nelson, before copying out the letter which Nelson's successor, Admiral Collingwood, wrote to the naval forces who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar. He finaly reassures his mother that he is, "perfectly well".