(with the right hand) - [off Corsica]
| Estimate: | £2,000 - £4,000 |
| Hammer price: | £3,800 |
To Thomas Pollard, Merchant, Leghorn
‘Agamemnon at Sea June 10th 1794
Dear Sir,
I received your letter by Rose Cutter also a jar of butter and basket containing sugar tea & paper. I wish you had sent the other things as I want them, I have also rec.d (received) your account of the sale &c of the Port boat. You will send me what you think right for her, my share certainly goes to the fellow men who took her, I said so once before my word is never broke, the Vessel taken when Lutine [another ship in the fleet] & a gun boat was in sight as also Meleager [another ship in the fleet], I cannot settle ab.t (about) what I wrote you for, was the Wine Vessels from Corsica, which Capt. Freemantle settled for, send them the Agamemnon’s share, with the sum for each officer & man, the Ad[jutant} 1 8th, Capt. 2 8ths. I dare say Capt. Freemantle took care all was done properly. We have been after the French french (sic) who I only regret we did not fall in with.
Your much obliged Horatio Nelson’
Nelson was Agamemnon’s captain from January 1793 for three years and three months, during which time she saw much service in the Mediterranean. It is known to be his favourite ship. From the beginning of 1794 Nelson was ordered by Hood to blockade Corsica, which Britain wanted to occupy. He led the bombardment of Bastia from the 4th of April and it surrendered on the 23rd of May, 1794, with seamen from his ships helping capture the town. Apparently this letter is about spoils from the action at Bastia. Afterwards the ship had to return to Gibraltar for repair, and when this letter was written, was back to help take Calvi in Corsica, where he anchored on 18th June. He continued the blockade until 10th August 1794 when Calvi fell. A month after this he sustained the injury which led to the loss of his eye.
The letter measures 26cm high x 36cm wide. In a glazed mount.
