Nelson
first visited Gibraltar in 1776 age 18, as a young midshipman serving
on board HMS Worcester a third rate, 64-gun ship which was on convoy
duty. Nelson went ashore with dispatches to be forwarded to the British
Consul in Cadiz.
In
June 1803 Nelson embarked on HMS Victory as Commander in Chief in the
Mediterranean. The next time he stepped off her on to land was on 20th
July 1805 at Gibraltar. During that time he had been either blockading
or chasing the French and Spanish fleets. Nelson's connection with
Gibraltar was not finished as it was at Rosia Bay, Gibraltar on the 3rd
November 1805 that his body was brought ashore from HMS Victory and
re-interred in Spirits of Salts before sailing back to Great Britain.
Extracts
from the log book of Manxman Captain John Quilliam on board 'Victory'
21st October, 1805: 'At 4.15pm the Spanish Rear Admiral to windward
struck to some of our ships which had tacked after them, observed one of
the enemy's ships blow up and 14 sail standing towards Cadiz and 3
standing to the southward, partial firing occurred until 3.40 when a
victory having been reported to Admiral Right Honorable Lord Visc't Nelson
KB, Commander in Chief died of his wounds.'
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