Nelson’s First Writing with the Left Hand

Abstract

On 24th July 1797, Rear Admiral Nelson personally led a disastrous night attack on the harbour at Teneriffe and was wounded in the right arm, which was amputated by the surgeon of HMS Theseus the next morning.  This article considers the provenance of a very short note, containing only two lines of writing, which is believed to be Nelson’s first attempt with his left hand only a day after the amputation of his right arm.  It leans heavily for evidence upon a diary kept by Mrs. Fremantle, who with the wife of the ship’s sailmaker nursed Nelson back to health.

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Filed under: Atlantic | Nelson | French Revolution | Health at Sea
Subjects include: Battles & Tactics | Biography | Navies