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Lot 104

"to once more meet the French fleet"
Horatio Nelson

5 July 2005, 11:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £6,960 inc. premium

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"to once more meet the French fleet"
Horatio Nelson

Autograph letter signed ("Nelson"), to Captain John Peyton, rejoicing at his recovery ("...We all think You did perfectly right in going home for what a dreadful winter We have experienced even up the Mediterranean...I am here with 8 Ships of Line looking for reinforcements to enable me to once more meet the French fleet should they come this rout but I begin to think they will retire into Toulon and We may go on as usual...."), one page, 4to, slightly foxed, traces of mounting on verso, Vanguard, off Maritimo, 25 May 1799

Footnotes

Nelson to one of the 'Band of Brothers' with whom he fought at the Nile, subscribing himself Captain Peyton's "Obliged & Affectionate Friend". At the battle the previous summer Peyton had been in command of the seventy-four gun Defence. In Southey's account, "Captain Peyton, in the Defence, took his station ahead of the Minotaur, and engaged the Franklin, the sixth in the line, by which judicious movement the British line remained unbroken". In the present letter, Nelson alludes to Peyton's distinguished record: "It never was much in my power to Shew You those attentions which in every way Your conduct entitled You to". This appears to be the only letter to Peyton to survive, and is published by White, New Letters, where a biography of Peyton is given, p.488. It has remained in the possession of the family until now.

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