Posted on 10/22/2005 12:05:15 PM PDT by wagglebee
Actually, after the Corsican Napoleon died, I have no doubt the Frogs would have eagerly surrendered to the first army that came along.
Imagine there's days when honor and duty are understood.
Not likely. The French could and did fight very well back then. It wasn't for lack of courage that the French/Spanish were defeated.
This would have been a month ago.
And I'm not kidding.
This would have been a month ago.
And I'm not kidding.
I hadn't heard that, and it's somewhat surprising. As far as I knew, Lord Nelson was one of the few British heroes whose reputation is considered completely above reproach.
My favourite TV channel, UKTV History, had on a Trafalgar Week, complete with documentaries about Lord Nelson. It was really glorious. As for Portsmouth being "faded" - I'm not sure what they mean by that, some parts of it are very lovely.
Regards, Ivan
Do you know what this is about in post #4?
No. Nelson is untouched atop his column. What you've read about is other statues on lower plinths in Trafalgar Sqare, of which there are several.
I haven't heard anything of the kind.
Regards, Ivan
It seemed rather ridiculous to me as well.
I speny my first twenty-one years in Portsmouth, and wouldn't quarrel with the 'faded' - though it's certainly been much smartened up more recently.
Not bad for a guy with one eye and one arm.
"Let me alone: I have yet my legs and one arm. Tell the surgeon to make haste and his instruments. I know I must lose my right arm, so the sooner it's off the better."
"My character and good name are in my own keeping. Life with disgrace is dreadful. A glorious death is to be envied."
-- Admiral Lord Nelson
A recent National Geographic's article about the Battle of Trafalgar mentioned that in order to preserve Lord Nelson's body, it was brought back home in a barrel of brandy.
It's probably true, because Nelson chased him out of Egypt after the Battle of the Nile, and then there was the Battle of Copenhagen. Nelson routed the Danish fleet after being signaled during the height of the battle by Admiral Parker to discontinue the fight, and he said to marine Cap. Foley: "You know, Foley, I have only one eye. I have a right to be blind sometimes." And he put the looking glass to his blind eye and said, "I really do not see the signal." His ships pounded the Danes into surrendering as a result.
But Trafalgar will always remain his greatest triumph. He was a little bitty shrimp missing one eye and one arm lost in battle, but by God, Nelson knew how to win spectacular naval victories.
Are you talking about this...from a few years back?
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/caribbean/statue.htm
According to Royal Navy lore on the voyage back home the sailors surreptitiously tapped the barrel in question and drank the rum his body was pickled in.
That's why they call it "Nelson's Blood."
Imagine there's days when honor and duty are understood.
===============
Speaking of which, here's a cute little historical triva:
Not too long afterwards those famous words began showing up on the be-ribboned garters of daring young ladies.
-ccm
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