Valentine’s day, 1797: the British Royal Navy are hoping for a decisive clash with the Spanish enemy, off the coast of Portugal, at Cape St. Vincent. Nelson has already narrowly avoided capture at the hands of the Spanish, after sailing through their fleet unnoticed, thanks to the auspicious cover of thick fog. But the British are outnumbered, and the Spanish fleet has at its head the largest warship in the world, the Santísima Trinidad. The stakes couldn’t be higher: if the Spanish aren’t stopped, they could head North towards the western coast of France and join forces with the French, the consequences of which would be terrible. Indeed, the French would then reign supreme over the Channel, offering them the perfect conditions to invade Britain. But after a disastrous start to the battle for the Royal Navy, all seems lost for the Royal Navy, until a single British ship breaks formation, and takes on the Santísima Trinidad. But who could possibly be behind such an insane manoeuvre? Join Tom and Dominic in the third part of our series on Lord Nelson, as they dive into the chaos and carnage of the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, and look at how Nelson’s incredibly daring charge saved Britain… _______ LIVE SHOWS *The Rest Is History LIVE in the U.S.A.* If you live in the States, we've got some great news: Tom and Dominic will be performing throughout America in November, with shows in San Francisco, L.A., Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Boston and New York. Tickets on sale now at TheRestIsHistory.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Chapter 1: What significant event is discussed in this episode?
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The Rest Is History Returns, available now in all good bookshops. On the deck of the victory, Jervis clenched his fists in frustration. The Spanish were getting away. After all the waiting, it had all been for nothing. And then, to his amazement, one of the smaller British ships did something extraordinary.
In flagrant defiance of all his orders, it broke out of the line, abandoning the planned formation and striking out alone across the sea. The Admiral's jaw dropped. The unknown captain was heading straight for the Spanish fleet. He was bearing down on the gigantic enemy flagship, the Santissima Trinidad. Guns blazing. For death or glory. And then Jervis realised who it was. It was Nelson.
So honestly, Dominic, do you know, my daughters now, I'm afraid, are too old to have a bedtime story read to them because actually Katie's 25. But I'm quite tempted to get it for them for Christmas and read it to them. Oh, you absolutely should. I can't think of a better way you could spend Christmas. So this is from Nelson, Hero of the Seas, your thrilling new book. Yeah.
Aimed at a younger audience, but very much tailored for an adult patriot as well. Definitely. Yeah. And this is a heroic, I mean, astonishing moment. We'll come to it in the Battle of Cape St. Vincent fought on the 14th February 1797. And this is the feat that makes Nelson a national hero for the first time. And we'll be looking at that. We'll be looking at how he loses his
Yes. So today's episode, I mean, there's no disguising it. This is history as pure swashbuckling melodrama. Daring do. Absolutely. And we have no apology in saying that. So let's remind ourselves, Tom, where we got to. We are in February 1797. The British have been driven out of the Mediterranean by Napoleon's advances on land.
The Spanish have joined the war and are looking to link up with the French, which would be disastrous for Britain. Nelson has been heading back through the Mediterranean. He's gone through the Straits of Gibraltar. He has sailed through the Spanish fleet in the fog. And to his relief, he has linked up with Sir John Jervis, Old Oak, this toad-like, indomitable admiral off Cape St. Vincent.
And now Jervis has the chance to draw up his plans and to strike for victory.
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Chapter 2: What daring move did Nelson make during the battle?
He's always wanted to be admired. He's always wanted to be wreathed in glory. And now he is. And now he is, yes. I talked in the beginning of the first episode about how there's a kind of almost a quality of Achilles about Nelson's heroism. And we have the record, the opinion of the former Viceroy of Corsica, who was with the fleet on one of the frigates and watching the action.
And he described Nelson as a hero beyond Homer's or any other possible inventions. Oh, that's nice.
So they get letters from home. Jervis has been made the Earl of St. Vincent. Nelson has been promoted to Real Admiral of the Blue and Knight of the Order of the Bath. And he gets a lovely letter from his father who's staying with Fanny in Bath, where they would often take the waters. And his father said they went to a concert that morning.
And when people saw them, they bowed to Fanny as if she'd won the battle herself, which must be lovely for Fanny. And then the Reverend Nelson says that when they walked home, strangers came up to shake him by the hand. And he had to step aside because he was so embarrassed to weep in public with pride.
Isn't that nice, Tom? It is nice. Well, bear in mind also that, you know, they haven't seen Nelson for years. Yeah. And he's been busy writing back to Fanny saying, oh, I'll probably die. Yeah. So her sense of relief must be enormous. Enormous. So Dominic, really for Nelson, I mean, this is everything that he ever wanted.
And for him, it should be a moment of transcendent happiness, a moment of complete apotheosis. But there is a sting in the tail, isn't there?
There always is with Nelson because, as we said in the first episode, he's admirable, he's inspirational. But there's also a slight element of comedy and disaster that always sort of hanging over Nelson, especially Tom, when he goes on to land. And unfortunately, in the second half of this episode, that is what he is going to do with disastrous consequences.
Okay, so any patriotic Britons listening, you've supped your full with the first half, but I'm afraid the second half, it's slightly less glorious. Hello, welcome back to The Rest Is History. Nelson and the Earl of St. Vincent, as he now is, John Jervis, they have won the Battle of St. Vincent. Britain has been saved from potential invasion, so hurrah, Nelson's an absolute hero.
But Dominic, we were talking at the end of the first half how this half is going to be slightly less glorious, isn't it? It is indeed.
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