Napoleonic War Letters and Documents

Intercepted during the Napoleonic War with the capture of enemy vessels by Nelson's fleet. The letters are mostly in Spanish, though there are some in Catalan, German and Italian. While a very few items date from the 1780s and 1790s, most of the letters cover the period Sep. to Nov. 1804. There are letters from Caracas to Barcelona (Aug.-Oct. 1804), from Tripoli to Alicante and Cartagena (Oct. 1804), and from Tunis to Barcelona, Madrid and Mahón (Nov.-Dec. 1804). But the greatest part of the correspondence was sent from Palma de Mallorca, destined in particular for Barcelona and dating especially to 17-19 Nov. 1804. The letters, written by both men and women, are mostly concerned with private family matters, though there is some official correspondence with Spanish government departments. In addition to the letters, the collection includes a few Spanish documents, such as accounts, bills, receipts, legal documents, reports, and sermons. Some of the material is incomplete.

Admitted at St John's College 1786; BA 1790; MA 1806; chaplain of HMS Berwick, 1793-5, and of the St George (Sir Hyde Parker's flagship), 1795; private secretary and interpreter to Admiral Nelson in the Mediterranean, 1803; chaplain of HMS Victory, attending Nelson at his death and receiving his last wishes; chaplain to the Prince Regent, 1816 and when George IV.

Open for consultation

The papers were placed by Scott into the pockets of his armchairs aboard the Victory. The chairs passed into the possession of Scott's youngest daughter, Margaret Gatty, who had the papers removed for safekeeping. The papers were presented to St John's College by R.A.A. Gatty in 1935.

Admitted at St John's College 1786; BA 1790; MA 1806; chaplain of HMS Berwick, 1793-5, and of the St George (Sir Hyde Parker's flagship), 1795; private secretary and interpreter to Admiral Nelson in the Mediterranean, 1803; chaplain of HMS Victory, attending Nelson at his death and receiving his last wishes; chaplain to the Prince Regent, 1816 and when George IV.

Preferred citation: St John's College Library, Napoleonic War Letters and Documents

30 Jul 2008

R.A. Gatty, 'Lord Nelson's Prize Captures', Chambers's Journal, 6th ser., 7 (1904), 276-9, 355-9.

Letter from John Street to F.P. White, 17 April 1956.

Published