NELSON'S PHYSICIAN AT TRAFALGAR BEATTY (Sir William, 1773-1843, Irish Surgeon in the Royal Navy)

Fine Autograph Letter Signed to J. G. Akerman Esq saying he is "sorry it is not convenient for me to attend the ... Board this day. Colonel Skerith, who is, I believe, a large shareholder has requested me to suggest in his name, the allotment of the unappropriated shares amongst the Proprietors, with the sanction of a Genl Meeting, in the same ratio as they were allotted in the Railway Company. This certainly seems available, but perhaps the directors, with the able assistance of Mr Wheeler, may diving some better plan ...", annotated on the verso in another hand that "Beatty cut the Bullet out of Nelson", 1 side 8vo., Royal Infirmary, 25th September

Born in Derry, Ireland, Beatty joined the Navy as a surgeon's mate in 1791 at the age of 18. He is best known as the Ship's Surgeon on the HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar. On the day of the battle, 21 October 1805, Victory had 821 crewmen aboard, 62 of whom would be killed and 109 wounded. Beatty was personally called upon to undertake 11 amputations, mostly legs, actions which saved many lives. Only six wounded men subsequently died. However, when Nelson was himself wounded, Beatty did not administer treatment, claiming that he believed that the Admiral was beyond treatment. Nelson had expressed the wish to be buried in his native soil so Beatty had to preserve his body for the voyage back to Britain, and decided to place it in a barrel of brandy. Beatty relates how gases from the corpse caused the barrel lid to open on 28 October, alarming the posted marine guard. On arrival at Gibraltar, the barrel had to be topped up with spirits of wine because it had filled the cavities in the body. This incident may have led to the legend that British seamen had drunk the brandy surrounding the body. As Victory approached the Nore, Beatty performed an autopsy, removing the fatal musket ball (now at Windsor Castle), and later writing a report A Concise History of the Wound. Beatty then attended Nelson's state funeral in London.

Item Date:  1837

Stock No:  39136      £1475

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