Admiral Horatio Nelson - From Captain to Victory (Part 2) 

Pinned post for Q&A :)

I’m starting to think the greatest danger to Horatio Nelson was Horatio Nelson.

13:00 Admiral Horatio “Grevious” Nelson would like you to know that those swords made a fine addition to his collection.

"Trying to fit a 10 inch mortar in a rowboat." Of course he did.

"Spanish ships, staggered line. Shipmaster, they outnumber us 3 to 1" *Then it is an even fight.*

33:11 Holy shit that French Admiral had some serious stones, imagine after being splattered by a cannonball your first thought is not panic but to tell your crew you are beyond saving as to not restrict men who might be helped from attention. That is a seriously powerful choice for a man to make.

Drach was able to fix his computer - and obviously he has to celebrate this by giving us an hour's worth of video. My Wednesday is saved!

L'Orient burning near HMS Orion..."Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion"

When writing "Horatio" be sure to dot the i and CROSS THE T.

"This had an additional advantage in that the British ships could use both broadsides since they'd have targets all around." As Chesty Puller, USMC, said at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir: “They’re on our right, they’re on our left, they’re in front of us, they’re behind us; they can’t get away from us this time.”

50:54 "long after we should have anticipated a frenchman to have given up his ship" I guess the tradition of jokes about the French surrendering goes further back than I thought.

"He drove the fleet headlong towards the Spanish: A History of the British Navy 1588-present"

50:35 As a Dane I am pretty pleased that you chose the picture of naval hero Peter Willemoes who at 17 years of age was in command of floating battery No. 1. Nelson apparently noticed his bravery and mentioned it to the Danish Crown Prince. While he did survive this battle and became somewhat of a celebrity he finally died at the age of 24, again at the hands of the British on 22 March 1808, in the Battle of Zealand Point. Several Danish war ships have carried his name since.

Nelson was a bit of a loose cannon but he expected his subordinate captains to behave in a like manner and provided them with the information to do so effectively. I call this good leadership.

It was the explosion aboard the French flag ship Orient which led to the poem Casabianca, more usually know by the first line 'The boy stood on the burning deck.' The boy, Giocante de Casabianca, being the 12 year old son of the ships captain, Louis de Casabianca. The father had to attend to a problem below deck and told his son to wait on deck until he returned. After the explosion and fire many sailors were abandoning the ship but young Giocante refused to join them because his father had told him to wait there until his return. Unfortunately this led to his death. the author of the poem, Felicia Dorothea Hemans, was herself only only five at the time of the battle but it made such an impression on her that she later wrote the poem.

Patiently waiting for Part 3 to drop. Battle of Trafalgar has been mentioned a lot lately on your other videos, I've gone and rewatched parts one and two!

Praise the Omnissiah!!!!!!!!! The evil machine spirits did not stop your holy and amazing work. The Ordo Sinister is most pleased with this.

This just made my lunch time go from terrible to excellent

30:50 when you realise 3/4 of the British ships in the battle would later be the names of classes.

From 1688-1815 there were 314 European ships of the line lost in action of which there were 27 English 178 French 78 Spainish 33 Dutch 23 Danish 1 Russian 1 Turkish Which is a ration of English: all others of abt 1:12 However if you only count Napoleonic Wars 1793-1815 The English lost 4 Ships of the Line The rest losing 131 Captured and 27 sunk Which means a total ration of 1:40 for the english The English were very good

The battles, shooting a walrus in the face, fighting a polar bear with empty musket, the sea battles, losing a eye, losing a arm, dying in battle. Someone should make a movie about Admiral Horatio Nelson.

39:55 not to mention, Nelson also took the French Flagship's lightening rod as a trophy, and Nelson had many, many trophies.

Britian: how many ships are you going to sink Nelson: ..... Yes

Fun fact: Nelson, in putting the glass up to his blind eye, was the one to invent the term "Turning a blind eye"

Drach I swear to god, yet again I have 8 hours to go before I can watch this. Stop torturing me

"To put the glass to the blind eye". We still have this as a saying in Denmark, just like "A Half Nelson" also has survived. Well, it's not that we're using them it any way, but they do survive in our common collective memory. We recognize them. The Battle of Copenhagen April 2, 1801 is one of the most famous battles here, in Danish named "The Battle on the Anchorage" (Slaget på Reden) and alongside what might be told in public schooling history classes, the date and the name of this event was used as the password/mark on an important savings account in an old Danish comedy film, which instantly etched itself into our collective memory much easier than any school teacher would have been able to.

Having a beer, preparing the barbecue and listening to Drach make a point of how badass Nelson was. I like this day.

"Sir, I have made for you a coffin from the bones of your victims so that in the afterlife they shall comfort and protect you."

These long videos (Nelson, Rheinübung just for example) should be dubbed in german by someone able to capture Drachinifels style. These videos are so highly informative, extremely well researched, yet entertaining. Drachinifel's documentations are so much better than most if not all documentations made by history channel or similar media. At the very least, the Rheinübung video has to be dubbed in german, it's the best documentation i've seen on that topic and it should be available for those people who don't understand english.

Hello, I have searched for part 3 but cannot find it? Did you do part 3? I see it's a year since part 2. Would love to see part 3. Kindest regards, Simon

5:14: we're not surrounded, merely in a target rich environment.

Emma Hamilton. Her milkshake brings all the boys to the yard.

I can't find part 3 anywhere?

Part 3?

From Wiki, Battle of Aboukir Bay: “By midnight only Tonnant remained engaged, as Commodore Aristide Aubert Du Petit Thouars continued his fight with Majestic and fired on Swiftsure when the British ship moved within range. By 03:00, after more than three hours of close quarter combat, Majestic had lost its main and mizzen masts while Tonnant was a dismasted hulk. Although Captain Du Petit Thouars had lost both legs and an arm he remained in command, insisting on having the tricolour nailed to the mast to prevent it from being struck and giving orders from his position propped up on deck in a bucket of wheat. Under his guidance, the battered Tonnant gradually drifted southwards away from the action to join the southern division under Villeneuve,” ....bound to be one of the most heroic moments in the history of Man.

Bit of an anorak point - Jervis is pronounced Jarvis. "Er" used to be pronounced "ar" - see Derby, Berkshire and clerk.

Imagine Nelson mounting a 50 cal Vulcan MiniGun in a Zodiac. Not much different than a Mortar in a Rowboat, I expect. ZOUNDS!!!

In 1798, Haydn composed a work which he called Missa in Angustiis ('Mass in Time of Troubles'). It was performed in Vienna shortly after news of the Battle of the Nile had reached Vienna, and gradually acquired the nickname 'Nelson Mass'. The Admiral may have heard it when he passed through Austria in 1800. Haydn had earlier been invited to England by the impresario Salomon, and had visited London in 1791-92 and 1794-95, to great acclaim. He had never seen, let alone crossed, the sea before, and was greatly taken by the sight of tall ships. He took pleasure in visiting the docks and the naval dockyards. Apparently, during the French Wars no-one there saw anything unusual about an elderly gentleman dressed in a foreign fashion and speaking broken English with a guttural accent asking detailed questions and making notes.

I am a history addict & the think your narration of Lord Nelson was perfect & we Americans love your history. It was a pity we revolted from the British Empire in 1776. We have the same culture. Imagine if the British Empire & America were one great nation. There probably would never have been a World War 1 & World War 2.

Those glorious paintings are very effectively hiding the butchers bill.

Drach, we need part three so I can binge all of these in a row. Please make part 3

The ancestors to today’s football rowdies; Royal Navy crews of the early Nineteenth century. As to Lord Nelson, his motto should have been, “Audacity always carries the day.”

You can't help but admire the audacity of men like Nelson...

Ah yes, the three stages of the Nelsonian lifestyle: Stage 1: If it bleeds, I can kill it. Ooh, map! Stage 2: If it bleeds, I can blow it up. Ooh, hot babe! Stage 3: If it's literally anyone that isn't British (and bleeds), I can kill it. !!!WITNESS ME!!! Bonus Final Stage: Is buried in a coffin made out of his finest trophy... *The ultimate flex.* God rest this magnificent maniac, may he fight polar bears with a stick for all eternity.

"Long after you expected a Frenchman to abandon ship" hahaha

Would love a series on Cochrane.

I feel like Nelson’s purpose on this earth was to charge into the nearest French fleet and annoy them into surrendering half their ships.

"Coxswain" is pronounced 'cox'un' (just as 'boatswain' is pronounced 'bos'un').

G'day Drach, I'm truly enjoying your series on Nelson. Given that I'm an ex-RAAF type, a lot of the maritime jargon might as well be Babylonian cuneiform, however, you still tell a gripping tale of, probably, the best known 'fighting sailor' ever to take to sea. It greatly amazes me that Nelson could develop such hubris and enlarged view of his own powers that he could play fast and loose with the Admiralty. I mean, this is the outfit that actually had poor old Captain Bing executed on his own quarter deck! So, I'm guessing, a commander was allowed to get away with just about anything except 'caution'. Apparently, Nelson was safe as houses as long as he continued to hit any enemy as hard as he could; ruthlessness was rewarded; timidity could be fatal. His promotions came thick and fast, no doubt to his own skill and bravery but I'm also guessing it was because of his skill at self-publicity. Thanks for this series. I saw you chatting with Nicholas Moran some time ago and decided to give your channel a look-see. I'm glad I did. Obviously, I know how the Nelson story ends but I'm still eager to hear you tell the tale. Cheers, BH

BRILLIANT YET AGAIN! Somehow the subtitle, "Proof that women and seamen don't mix" comes to mind. Ready and waiting for Part III.

Hey Drach do you happen to have a rough idea when part 3 may be coming out? We all cant wait to see it!

I actually like to listen to Drach's narration while driving long distance on the highway :) Very informative, humorous videos indeed!

I bet Nelsons biggest naval lifetime wish was to achieve a major victory from the death bed. He got his wish granted.

The Clanking Huge Audacity of the MAN to shackup with Lady Hamilton in their own House! Oldman Hamilton either had no Hair on his Sack, was into Free Love or may possibly have been a Eunuch? Damn You Jack Aubrey! 😈

Drach, great video as always. You made a vid on Hong Kong last week and you briefly touched on the PT Boat Squadron present at the time. I thank you for this, as I was waiting for that subject to pop up. I would recommend expanding on the PT Squadron as I believe one of the commanders received a VC for holding Japanese forces off under heavy fire in addition to lighting up Japanese TT Ships.

I have walked on the decks of HMS Victory, as anyone else can. History/Reality, get there, feel it, breath it, get it done.

And people are calling for the removal of this mans statues.... Honesty this world is mad.....

Great naval stories told with a very dry, droll, British humour, me likes!! :)

Best yet, in at 41, hurrah for Drach! Hurrah for Nelson! The best heroes are ones that die gloriously.

Nice video, Drach. Thanks. I remember Admiral Krancke's description of Capt Fogarty Fegen when the latter's armed merchantman, the Jervis Bay dared to fight Krancke's pocket battleship to protect a convoy. Krancke is said to have stated that Fegen had the 'Nelson touch.' And so he did.

Sailors stashing more stuff than is authorised for the ship if they figure it will be useful. The Navy has not changed in that respect.

"Russia, the Ottoman Empire, and other minor nations."

I try to imagine what kind of an explosion could cause all these tough, hardened killers to just stop for ten minutes.

best break down and analysis of the battle of the nile I have seen. Remember, this guy fought a polar bear.

Absolutely love part 1 and part 2. Eagerly awaiting part 3. Thank you!

huh so ol nelson couldn't resist visits to mrs hamiltons dock yard eh?

Great treat before my Navigation and Watch Standing course starts this afternoon. Thank you sir. Course in Orlando, FL by a fellow from Great Britain.

Has Part 3 ever been posted? I've been looking for it, but I can't find it.

I love that whenever I’m going somewhere and I wanna learn something on my drive naval flavoured, you have a detailed, easy listening, long video on it

It's just a few minutes past twelve and seeing the words Rum Ration immediately make me go to the alcohol cabinet

Nelson when the San Josef pulled alongside the San Vincent: Wanna see me do it again?

I always picture you wearing a replica of Nelsons uniform rreading these.

I'll be very interested in the stats of what percentage of viewers are spanish, Nations dont tend to view battles they got thier ass handed to them very often, That said if there's a video on WW1 and WW2 german ships I'll watch it because the german navy seems to have been amazingly good. Also a british ship being overfilled with guns and ammo? That doesn't happen very often [cough except hood].

Do one on Don Alvaro De Bazan. The only man to ever fight and win every battle on both galley and galleon. He is considered the first in Atlantic sea power.

H.M.S. Victory chouse her commander. Change my minde.

eagerly waiting for part 3 :)

Thanks for a great post - really enjoyed this. You really got me into this topic of naval history - and I retired US Army (tanks and Infantry.) God bless - stay well.

On Danish neutrality: "What makes a man turn neutral? Lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality?"

Wow excellent video Drac! I can't believe what a absolute rock star of manliness this guy was! Can't wait for part3!!!

i’ve been waiting for so long for this, thank you so much.

Very interesting to hear you talk about the first battle of Copenhagen. Never really heard about it from a British point of view. A few corrections: The reason why the British burned the prizes was that they weren't worth keeping. They were, except for Holsten and one other, old hulks and a number of prams, mostly ships that had long been in reserve and had been chosen for scrapping. The actual Danish-Norwegian navy was moored safely inside the harbour. And was not fitted out or ready for battle. The reserve was made up of actual navy vessels, but they did not become involved in the fighting. You can see it on some of the drawings, lying behind the Trekroner battery, towards the mouth of the harbour. These were the outfitted ships. The main battleline consisted of prams and hulks and ~one~ floating battery. The very first ship of the Danish-Norwegian battleline was Prøvestenen (The Trial Stone), as you mentioned. That was the old threedecker Christian VII, which had been decomissioned and renamed the year before. It was one of three hulks that were to be sunk and make up a makeshift battery carrying that name. As it were, the British attacked before that was carried out. So, this was the first and last time she fired her guns in anger. She was the first ship to open fire against the British line, around 9.50 am, and the last to strike her flag, at 3.15 pm, after having battled two British ships of the line and a frigate anchoring at her bow and raking her. Captain Lassen, the commander, was commended as the most gallant of all the commanders of the Danish-Norwegian side, and the old vessel certainly gave a good account of herself in her first and last battle.

When Nelson got home he had all those swords melted into an throne for him to sit in

49:02 and here's where my namesake comes in to save Nelson's ass ....I love my family :P......few minutes later....wow you didnt even mention Walker moving into Nelson's spot with Isis as Elephant kinda sorta ran aground...or how when he sailed by later in the battle Nelson yelled, "Well done, brave Walker! Go on as you have begun; nothing can be better" .....and then personally went aboard Isis the next day to thank Walker and the Isis crew for their efforts

Incredible, amusing and entertaining as always. I particularly loved the detail of the coffin made from the mainmast and Nelson's desire to keep it in his cabin. Thank you.

19:32 "trying to fit a 10-inch mortar in a rowboat" this guy really is the Leeroy Jenkins of the age of sail.

From what I'm getting from this is that Nelson was one hell of a mad lad

Did you manage part 3 yet Drach? Or am I going to have to continue eagerly waiting for the conclusion of Admiral Nelson's saga?

Thank you for this and other videos,as an Australian with English royal navy father all the way back to Nelson and living in Portsmouth . I am a very avid reader of naval history . Cheers from AUSTRALIA

40:30 Oh Nelson, for all your tactical prowess and seafaring skill you were still at heart a sailor.

When is part 3 comming?

You get the feeling that Mr. Hamilton didn't really have too much of a problem sharing his wife, even if the rest of society thought it scandalous.

So, no magical girl transformation into a Frigate eh?

Really cool videos i mostly like the Sail era, will there be anymore content covering this era ? Like maybe taking a look on more battles of anykind in this era, or maybe taking a look at others ships then Her Majesty's Ships. Maybe some Danish, French, Swedish ? anyway thanks for making these videos,

It's a pity that Nelson's next command after Cape St. Vincent wasn't HMS San Josef. Would've been appropriate, since he gave the Royal Navy the ship.

All the dislikes are the French and the Spanish from Trafalgar.

Two views, eight thumbs up!

The coffin idea is rather awesome

Cannot wait till part 3!

16:32 Earl St. Vincent Jervis has to be one of the best commanding officers in history to give an order so hilariously over the top to two officers in a blockade of a heavily guarded Spanish port, and then give his most trustworthy, albeit unorthodox officer, who was commanding said blockade, the go-ahead to "steal anything that wasn't bolted down, unbolt anything that was bolted down and steal that, and stab or set fire to anyone who tried to stop them," with Nelson's first reaction being akin to poking a giant sleeping bear in a cave with a stick to see if it would respond

Did you forget about part three?