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Nelson - Two Letters from Royal Naval Officers About Him and Sir Peter Parker, 15pp, 1830's
Nelson - Two Letters from Royal Naval Officers About Him and Sir Peter Parker, 15pp, 1830's
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Description:

Horatio Nelson
Various, ca. July 1832 and April 20, 1837
Nelson - Two Letters from Royal Naval Officers About Him and Sir Peter Parker, 15pp, 1830's
Archive
A pair of letters addressed to the Editor of the United Service Journal regarding the Royal Navy with references to Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson. The first, written by Lieutenant H. Lister Maw, is 5pp and dated July 1832. Maw writes to the Editor in contrast to "a fashion…arisen of depreciating the merits of those admirals, to whom Great Britain is indebted…" The second letter, written by Captain Charles Parker, is 10pp and dated April 20, 1837. Parker writes about his late brother, Sir Peter Parker, who had served under Lord Nelson aboard the HMS Victory. Both letters have flattened mail folds and wear at the spines where it appears they may have been removed from a larger volume. Light, scattered soiling and toning throughout. Boldly signed by both men.

Highlights from Lieutenant H. Lister Maw's letter:
"To speak of Lord Nelson merely for 'transcendent bravery,' is to insult his memory. He was not only the most brilliant hero, but the greatest, most skillful, naval commander that any age or country has produced. In the action off St. Vincent, which made Sir John Jervis an earl, whilst Nelson died a visct. (see the inscription on his tomb)-he proved 'that it made little difference who nominally commanded if he were present.' His battles of the Nile and Copenhagen tell their own tales and need little remark, excepting, perhaps, that in the latter, as he got under weigh for battle and victory, the signal of recall being made by his senior admiral, he Is said to have put his glass (telescope) to the socket of the eye he had lost, and 'did not see such signals!' In the chase of the French fleet to the West Indies, whereby the colonies were saved at a time when they were of vital importance to the commerce and resources of this country, whatever they may be now, who but Nelson could have judged their destination? or if any think they could, who but him would have acted on that judgment?

In his last, his greatest victory, when, after repeatedly having traced his country's honour with his blood, he sealed his own career of glory and Britain's safety with his death, his gallantry and judgment were alike displayed; having laid down his plan of action in England he proceeded forthwith to execute, and in a few weeks the combined fleets of France and Spain were annihilated, whilst Nelson died in the hour of the greatest victory ocean ever witnessed, or man ever achieved!!..."

Highlights from Captain Charles Parker's letter:
"…I am not even satisfied with the account of that gallant attempt of my late brother, Sir Peter Parker, contained in the extract from Dallas's Life (quoted by Captain Chamier), I will endeavour to place it in its proper point of view…In the performance of this duty to a departed and much beloved brother, it shall be my endeavour not to suffer anything to escape me of a discourteous nature, either towards Captain Chamier, who has declared himself his friend and admirer, or to 'Mediterraneus,' in whom, if I mistake not his identity, I discover an old friend…I have said that I am not satisfied even with the account of this affair given in the extract from 'Dallas's Life of Sir Peter Parker.' It is because, whilst showing the great peril the Menelaus was in, and the skill and gallantry by which she was extricated, it omits to give a principal reason for her being placed in such a situation. Sir Peter's first object in this attempt doubtless was to board and carry off the French frigate, in the face of the enemy's fleet - and a glorious one it was, and well worth some risk; but there was another great object of which he never lost sight, namely, that of decoying the French fleet into an engagement with ours, to the attainment of which he would, without hesitation, have sacrificed even the Menelaus herself that beautiful specimen of a British man-of-war, of which he was so justly proud.

…Was it, therefore, too daring an attempt in Sir Peter? Not at all. He had just confidence in his well-tried officers and ship's company - in his own resources - and in the capabilities of the fine vessel he had under his foot; and had he carried the frigate - as he doubted not being able to do - the French fleet at this early stage of the business not having got clear of the harbour, he would have had a better start than he had, as matters eventually turned out; and in their anxiety to recapture their friend an additional chance would have been afforded of leading them under the guns of our fleet…The following anecdote, though not immediately relevant to the subject I have been discussing, will show the high opinion Sir Benjamin Hallowell entertained of Sir Peter Parker's ardent zeal. On the eve of the intended attack on La Ciotat, being anxious to obtain some further information, that distinguished officer telegraphed the Menelaus - the look-out frigate-to pick up a fisherman in the night. Sir Peter answered, 'I will try.' On the reply being reported- 'That,' said Sir Benjamin, 'is as good as a promise from another man.'

…But there was another reason which had great weight with my brother , in inducing him not to leave anything to another that he could himself perform... Suppose that, instead of going, Sir Peter Parker had stayed on board his ship; is it - considering the admitted positive difficulty and danger, and (from the failure of former attempts) the presumed impracticability of the achievement - altogether improbable that he might have incurred the imputation of having sent his men where he was too prudent to go himself? I think not, and that, on the whole, it will be seen, that in determining to share, and put himself foremost in, the dangers of the attack, he acted from a just appreciation of his duty to his King and country, of what he owed to the maintenance of his own high reputation, and to the faithful guardianship of the fair name handed down to his keeping by his ancestors… in the last glorious act of his short but eventful life, enabled him, 'after receiving a mortal wound, to cheer on his men,' and, even whilst his life's blood was fast ebbing away, to evince anxiety for the preservation of those fine fellows who had so often fought by his side, and not to exhibit any concern as to the fate of his own person - of that perishing body… Captain Sir Peter Parker was mortally wounded in a most gallant attack on a camp of the enemy's on shore, for which he had disembarked the seamen and marines of his ship.' With the expression of my fervent hope that Great Britain and her Monarchs may continue to find officers as ready as my departed brother ever was to lay down their lives in their service…"

Henry Lister Maw (1801-1874) was a naval man and explorer who entered the Royal Navy service in 1818. He served for a time as Midshipman of the Liffey 50 and acted as Naval Aide-de-Camp to Sir Alexander Campbell, Commander-in-Chief of the troops. While serving in that capacity he appears to have been employed in surveying the Rangoon River. He continued to serve in the Royal Navy until around 1861. In his retirement he wrote a book entitled "Journal of a Passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic: [etc]."

Sir Peter Parker, 2nd Baronet (1785-1814) was a British Royal Navy officer, the son of Vice-Admiral Christopher Parker and Augusta Byron, the daughter of Vice-Admiral John Byron. He entered the Royal Navy in 1798, serving under his grandfather and his grandfather's friend, Lord Nelson. In 1805, he took command of the brig Weazel, which would be the first British vessel to sight the Franco-Spanish fleet leaving Cádiz, an action that precipitated the Battle of Trafalgar. For this service Parker was promoted to Captain. In 1810, he was given command of the frigate Menelaus, which was involved in the suppression of a mutiny aboard Africaine just weeks after being commissioned. Four years later, Parker joined the British forces in the Chesapeake Bay under Admiral Sir George Cockburn and took part in the blockade of Baltimore. A bold and efficient commander, he became known for his ferocity in destroying American farms and property along the Chesapeake. In late August 1814, he landed a shore party and attempted a night attack on a detachment of Maryland militia at Fairlee, Maryland. During the Battle of Caulk's Field, Parker he was struck in the thigh and suffered a severed femoral artery. He died on the field and his body was sent to St. George's, Bermuda, and buried at St. Peter's Church.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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