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Lot 113

Nelson's Band of Brothers

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

Sold for £1,200 inc. premium

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Nelson's Band of Brothers

Autograph letter signed by Captain Sir Edward Berry, Nelson's flag captain at the Nile, to Captain Sir Thomas Troubridge, veteran of Cape St Vincent and the Nile, discussing the monument to be erected to Captain Miller ("...truly happy I am to hear you and Ld St Vincent approve of the monument for our Late Dear coadjutor Miller, a Man that we Knew and there was but one opinion of him - 500£ will by no means be too much if the Capt.ns of the 14th of Feb.y subscribe and those of Sir Sidney Smith - and my opinion is they ought to have that honor but none but Brother Officers - and I wou'd not even allow Davison to subscribe...I have corresponded with the Dean of St Pauls on the Subject, who is very polite and will do what is proper on the occasion - Flaxman is the Artist and in him we may all Trust...of course our aim must be simplicity Truth needs no ornament - Miller requires none - himself was all..."), 3 pages, 4to, integral address panel, docketed by recipient, Princess Charlotte, Woolwich, 26 March 1801

Footnotes

The American Ralph Miller had served as Nelson's Flag Captain at the Battle of Cape St Vincent, and as Captain of the Theseus at the Nile. He was killed by an accidental explosion - having been in the habit of collecting unexploded enemy shells - during Sir Sidney Smith's defence of Acre. The monument to his memory by Flaxman, discussed in this letter, is to be found in St Paul's. On 26 January 1801, Nelson had written to Berry: "I yesterday received your kind letter of the 20th, and I beg, if you think the £200 is enough for poor dear Miller's monument, that you will direct Flaxman to instantly proceed about it, and as far as that sum, if no one subscribes, I will be answerable. If those of the 14th February are to be allowed the honour of subscribing, I then think we ought to subscribe £500 - a less sum would not be proper for such a body. Pray let me know the intended subscription, for we must take care not to say too much, or too little. The language must be plain, as if flowing from the heart of one of us Sailors who have fought with him". Our letter, even though not by Nelson himself, has the distinction of being printed by Nicolas, Dispatches and Letters, iv, p.276 (misdated 28 March).

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