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Maritime Archive and Library
Excerpt from a reprint of The Times, London, Thursday 7 November 1805, reporting the victory at Trafalgar and the death of Nelson. Reference number AO130/04
The Battle of Trafalgar was fought on 21 October 1805 off Cape Trafalgar on the Spanish coast, between the Royal Navy and the combined fleets of Spain and France.
Nelson was killed by a shot in the shoulder that broke his spine, but survived to witness the British victory and reportedly died with the words "Thank God I have done my duty".
This excerpt, from the beginning of a passage describing how Nelson and some of the men round him coped with their injuries, reads:
'LORD NELSON'S LAST MOMENTS
WHEN LORD NELSON was shot, and was yet in the arms of the men who were supporting him, his eye caught the tiller rope, which was unusually slack; he exclaimed, with much emphasis "Tighten that rope there!" an eminent proof that his professional ardour still survived the brilliancy of the flame of life. When he saw his Secretary and his friend, Mr SCOTT, thrown overboard, uncertain of the disfigurement of the wound and the confusion of the fight whether it was him or not, he inquired, with affectionate ardour "Was that poor Scott?" An impression seems to be made on Lord NELSON, for as the men were carrying him down to the cockpit he said "Don't let me be thrown overboard; tell Hardy to carry me home."
A man was so completely cut in two by a double-headed shot, that the whole of his body, with the exception of his legs up to his knees, was blown some yards into the water; but, strange to tell, his legs were left standing on the deck with all the firmness and animation of life!
A midshipman, of the name of PRICE, was brought into the cockpit, with his leg cut off up to the calf; he was a heroic youth of 17. The surgeons could not attend to him at the moment. He drew out a knife, and cut off a piece of flesh and the splinter of the bone with great composure. "I can stay," said he; "let me doctor myself." When the surgeon attended him it was found neccessary to amputate above the knee. He submitted to the operation without a groan. "It is nothing at all," he said; "I thought it had become much worse." '