1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 1: Phil Ridiculous Historians. Welcome back to our weekly classic episode. 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: Have you ever had a moment where you thought, if 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: I don't change my ways, I'm gonna end up dead 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:11,799 Speaker 1: in a barrel of brandy? 5 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 2: Totally happens to me every day. Is what makes me 6 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 2: fly right, Ben and live clean? 7 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: There we go, right. We are big fans of larger 8 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: than life historical figures, and this episode from twenty nineteen 9 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: features none other than the naval legend Admiral Horatio Nelson. 10 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 2: Not to be confused with Horatio Hornblower. That's a different person. 11 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,479 Speaker 1: That's a different person, Okay, right on. 12 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 2: That is a fictional person, a British Royal naval captain 13 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 2: during the Napoleonic Wars, from a series of novels from 14 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 2: the nineteen thirties by C. S. 15 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: Forrestern. I wonder if some of Admiral Nelson's real life 16 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 1: maritime adventures informed that character. What do you think? 17 00:00:58,640 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's entirely accurate. 18 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 1: So okay, this guy dies on October twenty first, eighteen 19 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: oh five. He is shot while standing on the deck 20 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: of his ship, and his crew is left with a dilemma, 21 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:17,479 Speaker 1: a real pickle. How do they bring his body back to. 22 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 2: Bury it home. Yeah, why don't we jump right in? 23 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: Ridiculous History is a production of iHeartRadio. Well, here we 24 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: are again, friends and neighbors. It is a Friday afternoon 25 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: here in the studio. We are off to adventures historical 26 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: and contemporary. And this weekend we may be tapping the 27 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 1: Admiral sampling a bit of Nelson's blood. 28 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm definitely gonna do that, like immediately after we 29 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 2: record this. And I don't mean getting vampiric right up 30 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 2: in the pub right, this is this is a little 31 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 2: bit different. 32 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:24,959 Speaker 1: Yeah, tapping the Admiral is not poking military right right. 33 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: It's also known it's a phrase from the Royal Navy. 34 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: It's also called bleeding the monkey or sucking the monkey, 35 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 1: which I think are both kind of weird. Yeah. 36 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 2: I did not come across the hose Ben, which is 37 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 2: your name, and your. 38 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: Knowls's true And we're joined with our super producer, Casey Pegram. 39 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: Casey and I have had a very very very scant 40 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 1: amount of sleep. So if there are any inaccuracies or 41 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: weirdness in today's episode, that's on me and Noel. Thank you, 42 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: and I hope your back doesn't hurt after carrying us 43 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:02,839 Speaker 1: through this one. 44 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 2: Man. You know, I love it when you're a little punchy, 45 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 2: whether it be from emerging from crazy jet lag or 46 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 2: dare I say, still in the throes of it, or 47 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 2: being a little sleep deprived. I always find you a 48 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 2: fun and punchy character. Thanks man, Thanks, I appreciate it. 49 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 2: And likewise, of course, tapping the admiral, what does that mean? 50 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: What's that refer to? 51 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 2: It is when you drink liquor or any kind of 52 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 2: fermented beverage directly from the cask using a straw. 53 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:35,119 Speaker 1: Yes, that's it, And that's also what they what they're 54 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: referring to when the members of the Royal Navy say 55 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: bleeding the monkey or sucking the monkey, which still seems 56 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: woefully inadequate in comparison to tapping the admiral. That sounds classy, 57 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: even though drinking straight up liquor from a barrel through 58 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: a straws maybe not the classiest thing. It seems, dare 59 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: we say, slightly barbaric. But that's life at sea, you know. 60 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 2: Oh my god, goodness, boy, will you get a load 61 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 2: of some life at sea, some harrowing life at sea 62 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 2: in this particular story. So why don't we start from 63 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 2: the beginning, Yes, to introduce our main character, the admiral 64 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 2: in question. 65 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: Yes, there is a specific admiral to whom the British 66 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: Royal Navy is referring to as Admiral Horatio Nelson, and 67 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: Admiral Horatio Nelson is a pretty larger than life figure, right, Yeah. 68 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 2: Larger than life legacy wise, but in terms of his stature, 69 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 2: I think he was under six feet tall. 70 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: Yes, yes he was. He was not NBA status right. 71 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 1: He eventually became the first Viscount Nelson and the first 72 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,280 Speaker 1: Duke of Bronte. He was born on the twenty ninth 73 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: of September seventeen fifty eight in Norfolk, England. He was 74 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: the sixth of eleven children. 75 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 2: See I feel like that matters, I really do. Some 76 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 2: of the greatest men and women in history have been 77 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 2: part of big families because they have to figure out 78 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 2: how to like scrap and you know, carry their own weight, 79 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,559 Speaker 2: you know, among all of the competition, whether they're vying 80 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:13,159 Speaker 2: for their parents' affection or just like learning how to 81 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 2: do stuff right right, or. 82 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: They're in some cases fighting for food, which was not 83 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 1: Nelson's situation. 84 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 2: As far as we don't know. We don't think so either. 85 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 2: Yet at the age of twenty. By the age of twenty, 86 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 2: he already had command of his own ship, which was 87 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 2: the Albemarle, and he became a very important figure during 88 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 2: the outbreak of the French Revolution in seventeen ninety two. 89 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 3: Mm. 90 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 1: Yep, it's absolutely true. Now this guy had been this 91 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 1: guy hit the high seas by the age of twelve, 92 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: that's right. So by the age of twenty, this was 93 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: not his first maritime rodeo. 94 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 2: No, you're right, but still at twenty, that's a pretty 95 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 2: big responsibility. Like you said, he joined the Merchant Marines 96 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:01,919 Speaker 2: and that was during the the fight against the Americans 97 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 2: during the War of Independence. 98 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, and he even took part in a failed scientific 99 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 1: expedition to the Arctic. He was living life, you know. 100 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 1: But you're bringing this sword a pivotal point in his 101 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 1: life because it was during his twenties, during these French 102 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 1: revolutionary wars, that he began to exhibit a tactical talent, 103 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: a knack for command. He was considered remarkable and a genius. 104 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:40,039 Speaker 1: And in seventeen ninety seven, on Valentine's Day, which was yesterday, right, 105 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:45,840 Speaker 1: he had his huge crowning achievement at the Battle of 106 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: Saint Vincent. How did that go down? 107 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, he really exhibited some mobility to think outside the 108 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 2: box militarily when he decided that he would break line 109 00:06:57,279 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 2: with the actual commander of the British fleet, which sounds 110 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 2: to me a little bit like disobeying. 111 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 1: Orders in subordination. 112 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 2: And apparently if they would have lost this particular battle, 113 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 2: he would have gotten his wrists slapped or you know, 114 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 2: dare I say, been put in the stockades. 115 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 1: He would have been booted out, he would have been 116 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: court martials, that's right. 117 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 2: But instead it proved to be his crowning achievement, like 118 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 2: you said, or at least one of his early claims 119 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 2: to fame. So what ended up happening was he saved 120 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 2: the British from defeat at the hands of the Spanish, 121 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 2: who had them licked in terms of number, in terms 122 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 2: of sheer volume of troops. Would you call them troops 123 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 2: when they're at sea? They're not really troops at sea, 124 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 2: are there? They're more they're sailors. 125 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: I guess they're the enemy. 126 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 2: They that's all the matters, That's all the matters. 127 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: It's also weird how whenever you hear a historical account 128 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 1: that refers to a group of actual human beings as 129 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: just the French or the Spanish, it sounds like they're 130 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: way more insidious than they actually are. 131 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 2: It's true. So instead of that court martial that he 132 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 2: was just cruising four, he got knighted. 133 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: Yes he did, he did, and he continued on this 134 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:16,239 Speaker 1: upward trajectory career wise, he did not have a perfect record, 135 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: and he did not escape unscathed. He was wounded in 136 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: July seventeen ninety. 137 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 2: Seven in a grizzly turn. 138 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, the way that you'll hear it phrased. For instance, 139 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: in a great article we read on history Collection dot 140 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 1: co by Alexander Meddings, a whiff of grape shot shredded. 141 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: His arm shredded, and most of what was left of 142 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: it had to be amputated to prevent infection from spreading 143 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: and grape shot For anyone who does it, do we 144 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:49,440 Speaker 1: talk about what this is? 145 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 2: I think we did. I mean, it's sort of the 146 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 2: equivalent of like buckshot, but it's like steel balls like 147 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 2: that spread out and just literally rip into everything at 148 00:08:57,960 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 2: viscerate flesh and bone. 149 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,840 Speaker 1: Right, yeah, yeah, Yeah, it's a number of small iron 150 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: balls fire all together at once. 151 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 2: You shoot that from a cannon, not like a musket 152 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:07,679 Speaker 2: or something, right, Yeah, exactly. 153 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 1: Exactly, And when they're assembled they look like a cluster 154 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: of grapes, very very nasty ammunition. So get this. This 155 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: is I think this is cool. After he had his 156 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: right arm cut off, he kept issuing commands while he 157 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:26,719 Speaker 1: was on the surgery bed. And keep in mind, in 158 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: the late seventeen hundred, surgery is very very dangerous. 159 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, and another important player in this story is, in fact, 160 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 2: his surgeon, who will come into the picture when we 161 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 2: get into the kind of the main focus of the story. Absolutely. 162 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 1: Yeah. 163 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, So, like you said, he had the arm amputated, 164 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 2: he survived, which was incredibly rare in any kind of amputation. 165 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: And he got into stand up pretty much as a 166 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 1: result of this. 167 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, he made some good banter on the on the 168 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 2: surgery bed and also had a nice little pet name 169 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 2: for what was left of of his arm. 170 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: Yes, he called it his fin and is adorable. It's weird. 171 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 1: It's definitely military humor, and it's also nautical humor. It's 172 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,959 Speaker 1: also nautical humor. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I think 173 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: that if he had not pursued a military fame, you know, 174 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: maybe he could have gotten into the stand up circuit. 175 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, got a little bit of a running 176 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:18,959 Speaker 2: start into that field, because I don't think it really 177 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,439 Speaker 2: picked up steam until like the you know, the Catskills 178 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:24,079 Speaker 2: kind of era. Right, Well, there were gestures, that's true, 179 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 2: that's true, But this is he was doing more bits 180 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 2: though he was doing. 181 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 1: Right, this is way before vaudeville. And if you would 182 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: like to learn more about vaudeville and you haven't checked 183 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: it out yet, do listen to our two part episode 184 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: on the history of stand up with our pow Wayne Fetterman. 185 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, and please don't hold it against us that for 186 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 2: the first whole half of the first episode, my mic 187 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 2: is not on. 188 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,199 Speaker 1: It was saved. It it gets saved, It. 189 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 2: Did get saved. It's just it's not our it's not 190 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 2: our best body represented. No, it's definitely not. But it's 191 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 2: such a good episode that we had to push it 192 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 2: out there. Really recommend you giving that one a listen. 193 00:10:54,960 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 1: So, despite the sad, tragic misstep of not going immediately 194 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 1: into comedy, Nelson did try to make something of his life. 195 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:09,559 Speaker 1: He in seventeen ninety eight. Just a year later he 196 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:14,439 Speaker 1: held the rank of rear admiral. He scuppered Napoleon's navy. 197 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, scuppered. He's scuppered, which is is deliberately sinking 198 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:22,320 Speaker 1: a ship, kind of like scuttling. 199 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 2: But is it scuttling where you deliberately sink your own ship? 200 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 2: Is there a differentiation? I know there's a lot of 201 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 2: very specific like foundering or to founder is when a 202 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:32,959 Speaker 2: ship is filling with water and sinking. So he scuppered, 203 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 2: they foundered. He scuppered, they foundered, and ultimately the ships 204 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:41,560 Speaker 2: were scuttled. That's right, Yes, we got there. Oh my gosh. 205 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: Oh, if you're in the navy, please feel free to 206 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: write to us about this. We want to learn. But 207 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:55,199 Speaker 1: these are great words, they really aren't. So this victory 208 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:59,199 Speaker 1: of his stranded the French in Egypt. This was the 209 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:04,320 Speaker 1: first step in establishing the British Empire's dominance of the seas. 210 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: And this also made Nelson, by the way, a friggin hero. 211 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: He was straight seahorse teeth as far as the rest 212 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: of the country was concerned. 213 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, because I mean he put himself in harm's way. 214 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 2: He was there like out there putting himself in harm's 215 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 2: way with the troops side by side, not like commanding 216 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 2: from some bunker or something like that. Like he was 217 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:29,319 Speaker 2: right there and then he survived. So, like I said, 218 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 2: because of the fact that you typically would die in 219 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 2: agony from some horrible infection, this probably instilled people with 220 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 2: this sense of him as being some kind of indestructible superman. 221 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 2: I'm editorializing here of it, but that's what it seems 222 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 2: like to me. 223 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: Sure man. Yeah, he was the Muhammad Ali of the seas, 224 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. People thought that he could 225 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 1: do no wrong. People thought he was a national hero, 226 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: and he pretty much was. So let's fast forward through 227 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: his career and let's go to the Battle of Trafalgar 228 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 1: on October twenty first, eighteen oh five. And this is 229 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:10,560 Speaker 1: when things take a turn for the worse. 230 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, because you can't outrun the reaper forever, especially when 231 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 2: you're like in a live fire zone with terrifying stuff 232 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:22,599 Speaker 2: like grape shot flying everywhere. So the Battle of Trafalgar 233 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 2: was between the French and the Spanish, and when I 234 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:29,720 Speaker 2: say between, I mean the English were like between them. 235 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 2: They were in the mix there, right, And it was 236 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 2: a huge naval victory for the British because it completely 237 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 2: if they owned the seas before, they had complete dominance 238 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 2: and obliterated Napoleon's desire and any future hope that he 239 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 2: had of controlling these waterways the English Channel. Right, and 240 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 2: there was going there would be no Napoleonic invasion of 241 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 2: Britain after the Battle of. 242 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 1: Trafalgar right right, and the Spanish are still in the mix. 243 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 1: As we said, they outnumber the British with thirty three 244 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 1: ships to Britain's twenty seven. But Nelson was going to 245 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 1: use his tactical prowess to outsmart the Spanish. Essentially, so 246 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 1: instead of putting his ships in a line, just making 247 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: them all sail together in a line, he ordered them 248 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: to form two perpendicular columns that cut through the enemy's 249 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: line because they had just a straight line at two 250 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: crucial points in the center. And here's where he got 251 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: He started styling on it, as we would say in 252 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: the early two thousands. Wait, quick slang check casey. Do 253 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 1: you remember when people would say styling on it? Absolutely 254 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: was that in the early two thousands, Yeah. 255 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 3: Maybe even earlier. It's I don't know that one seems 256 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 3: like it's been around for a. 257 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: Long time, no sense of time. 258 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 3: Okay, yeah, I don't either. It could be from you know, 259 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 3: six months ago. 260 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 2: I have no idea. 261 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 1: Maybe it was from the early eighteen hundreds. Maybe he 262 00:14:57,800 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 1: said I'm going to style on him. 263 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 3: I'm just thinking subtitle from Barry Linden. By what means, 264 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 3: Redmond Berry acquired the style and title of Barry Lindon. 265 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 3: So he was styling that on the way back in 266 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 3: like the eighteenth century. 267 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: So that reminds me of people being able to be 268 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: styled as something like his Royal Highness and so on. 269 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 1: So maybe there is a precedent to that. Oh, casey 270 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 1: on the case indeed, indeed, so this is what he 271 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: does that's we could count as styling on people. He's 272 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: on the deck. Nelson is on the deck of the ship, 273 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: and he does not remove his insignia, his indicators of office. 274 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: And when you don't remove your indicators of office and 275 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: you're standing on a ship deck. 276 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 2: It's like you got a big old target painted on 277 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 2: your back, a metal shape target or an array of 278 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 2: tiny metal shape targets that if you were a sharpshooter 279 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 2: on one of the enemy ships, that's who you would 280 00:15:57,120 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 2: shoot for, because it's like, you know, it would bring 281 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 2: it would drive the troops into disarray, and chaos would 282 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 2: create chaos, right, because that's the person who's calling the plays. 283 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 2: You put an end to that, dude, and then everyone 284 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 2: else just kind of goes running and they don't know 285 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 2: what to do. There's no order. 286 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: So it's ballsy, it's kutspa. 287 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 2: It's like, hey, come at me the Spanish, right. 288 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 1: That's exactly right. So he knew this was a possibility. 289 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: But he stayed on deck with a guy named Captain Hardy, 290 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: and he was he was trying to instill bravery in 291 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: his men. He was yelling at them, you know, don't 292 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: worry about all the blood around you. Fight, fight with me, 293 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: Fight for Britain. And around one pm in that afternoon, 294 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: the battle started around noon. Around one pm that afternoon, 295 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: this Captain Hardy guy looks around and he sees that 296 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 1: Admiral Nelson has indeed been fired upon. A musketball has 297 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: passed through his shoulder and lodged in his spine. And 298 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: this is when in the Admiral gasp and famously says 299 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 1: they have and he succeeded. I am dead, I am dead, 300 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 1: I am dead. I am dead before being carried below 301 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 1: decks back to the surgeon's quarters. 302 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:17,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, and the surgeon was a brilliant man, as discussed before, 303 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 2: by the name of William Beatty, who they had him 304 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 2: ferried below deck and realized that all hope was was 305 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 2: pretty much lost. He I don't know was he did 306 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 2: he die? Was he dead on arrival when they when 307 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:32,639 Speaker 2: they found him, when he got to him, or did 308 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 2: you think he died a little bit below deck? 309 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 1: Uh, he died a little bit below deck, his last 310 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: words being thank God, I have done my duty. Too 311 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 1: cold and my country. 312 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 2: What a guy. 313 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:50,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, So he died, you know, with no regrets regarding 314 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:54,560 Speaker 1: his actions because he he felt that, from what we 315 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 1: can surmise, he felt that the same rules that he 316 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 1: applied to the pople under his command applied to him 317 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 1: as well. So if I'm going to send you to die, 318 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:06,159 Speaker 1: then I'm dancing with the reaper myself. 319 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 2: That's so rare. Like if we think about we're talking 320 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 2: to get back to Kubrick. You know what Casey was 321 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:13,679 Speaker 2: talking about. The movie Paths of Glory is all about 322 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 2: these commanders making these life or death choices from their 323 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:21,199 Speaker 2: posh you know, villas and with no real sense of 324 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 2: what's going on on the ground. So in these days, 325 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:27,360 Speaker 2: when was that casey, when it was paths of that's 326 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 2: World War one. That's World War one. 327 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, And I'm making the decisions basically to give themselves, 328 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 3: you know, earn and rank in the military. 329 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:36,360 Speaker 2: Earn rank. Yeah, and that's I don't know, like I'm 330 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 2: not not to throw any military leaders into the bus. 331 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:39,919 Speaker 2: That's that's certainly not how all of them are. But 332 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:43,119 Speaker 2: that's sometimes the impression that I get of some of 333 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 2: the high level commanders. And this guy was not that 334 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 2: way at all. He was right there in the trenches 335 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 2: with his men and he literally took one for the team. 336 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:58,400 Speaker 1: He did, indeed. And so there ends the life of 337 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 1: Horatio Nelson and first Viscount Nelson. He dies on the 338 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: twenty first of October eighteen oh five, aged forty seven, 339 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,879 Speaker 1: at the Battle of Trafalgar, and really, not to be 340 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: all bait and switchy, this is where the ridiculous part 341 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 1: of today's episode begins because the late admiral's men, who 342 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: by the way, adored this guy, were trying to figure 343 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 1: out how they could take him back to Britain for 344 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 1: the burial that they felt he deserved. 345 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 2: She got to remember. I mean they were far from home, 346 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 2: and sea travel is not quick. I mean it was 347 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:38,679 Speaker 2: they were like a two month's journey or something like 348 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:40,120 Speaker 2: that back to Britain. 349 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, two months journey away. The fleet was almost crippled 350 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:49,120 Speaker 1: because of the damage they had taken during the conflict. 351 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: And then that's when this surgeon, Irish will William Beattie, 352 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 1: that's when he has his own light bulb moment. 353 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,679 Speaker 2: He really does. One thing they do you have that 354 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 2: acts as a as a dam fine preservative is alcohol. 355 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 2: What they had were some barrels of brandy, and so 356 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 2: Beatie had the idea that they could stick this diminutive man, 357 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 2: who was thankfully not a very very tall man. They 358 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 2: were able to shove him into this barrel of brandy, 359 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 2: and they added a few extra things to maybe make 360 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 2: him smell nice, I guess, like camphor and what else 361 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 2: been mirror mror, you know, like Frankinson of course, of course, 362 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:33,800 Speaker 2: and then they sealed him up in there to prepare 363 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 2: for the long journey home. Yep. 364 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:39,880 Speaker 1: And it was a slow crawl because of the terrible 365 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:43,360 Speaker 1: shape of the ships, and it wasn't a perfect solution. 366 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:47,399 Speaker 1: This surgeon had a brilliant innovative solution, but it was 367 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:53,479 Speaker 1: not perfect because as the body decayed over the course 368 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:56,919 Speaker 1: of the two month voyage, he caused a buildup of 369 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: pressure within the vat and. 370 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 2: Then from like asses and stuff being emitted from the 371 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 2: body corpse parts. 372 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 1: Yes, and it caused the lid of the barrel to pop. 373 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 1: That scared the hell out of some people. And one case, 374 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: there's a report that a sailor who was sitting near 375 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:18,879 Speaker 1: the barrel thought that Nelson had. 376 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:26,359 Speaker 2: Risen surely stinking drunk, right, stinking drunk zombie admiral walking 377 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,880 Speaker 2: the decks of this ramshackled ship. That's a pretty pretty 378 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:30,880 Speaker 2: spooky image right there. 379 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:39,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, and here's where we find a strange legend about 380 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:43,640 Speaker 1: this journey. So they do eventually reach Gibraltar, right, and 381 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 1: the surgeon says, Okay, we're gonna transfer this guy to 382 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:54,480 Speaker 1: an actual coffin. After this point, rumors started circling scuttle 383 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 1: butt hearsay, and the rumors said that the sailor's aboard 384 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:04,560 Speaker 1: his ship, the HMS Victory, had been drinking from this 385 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 1: barrel of brandy. 386 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 2: Wait tapping the admiral, yes. 387 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 1: Literally tapping the admiral putting little straws in the cask 388 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 1: and just taking a little nip for the entire length 389 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: of the journey. And this meant that again according to 390 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:23,880 Speaker 1: the rumors, that by the time they arrived at Gibraltar, 391 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 1: they had drank the entire barrel of brandy. Now, Ben, 392 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 1: surely that would have caused some upset stomachs, right, one 393 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: would imagine. 394 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 2: I mean, that just does not seem very sanitary at Well. 395 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:42,160 Speaker 1: We have to wonder. There are so many there are 396 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:46,680 Speaker 1: so many different spirits that are distilled with other dead 397 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,880 Speaker 1: bodies in them, like spirits with snakes in. 398 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 2: The bottle, or straps, that's true. 399 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: Or mice, I guess tequila worms. Well, I think a 400 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:01,200 Speaker 1: worm is less agreed. I think that's true. But that's 401 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 1: I don't you know. We're we're not brilliant Irish surgeons yet, 402 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 1: so we can't speak to the safety of drinking corpse brandy. 403 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:17,920 Speaker 1: But we can say it's a it's a weird flex. 404 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 1: I would call that a weird flex bigtime. So what 405 00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 1: what happens next? 406 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 2: Really they get his body back. Reports circulate in the 407 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 2: British press that Admiral Nelson has died and it is 408 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 2: a national tragedy because yeah, not only did his men 409 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 2: love him, he was, like you said, a national hero 410 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:42,680 Speaker 2: or hero and just you know, considered to be the 411 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:46,400 Speaker 2: bravest of the brave, and many tears were shed, including 412 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 2: the tears of the reigning monarch at the time. 413 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, and just like we had discussed an earlier episode 414 00:23:54,280 --> 00:24:00,399 Speaker 1: with Christopher Hasiotis about George Washington, almost immediately after news 415 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 1: of Nelson's death is official, people begin building his legend, 416 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, Because of the way his 417 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:13,719 Speaker 1: body was initially transported, His legend spreads into the world 418 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: of drinking culture. Navy Rum becomes known as Nelson's blood, 419 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:22,439 Speaker 1: even though they were they put him in brandy And 420 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 1: did you see that was that was one of the 421 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: differences too, That was like a significant difference. 422 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:31,680 Speaker 2: I did. So once the victory actually gets back to Britain. 423 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:37,160 Speaker 2: As I said earlier, the news of Horatio's demise was 424 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 2: pretty much out there and one of the first ships 425 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,919 Speaker 2: to get there was called the HMS Pickle, which is 426 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:47,400 Speaker 2: which is really adorable. It's an adorable It's an adorable 427 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,440 Speaker 2: name for it for a ship. I like it very much. 428 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 2: So Yeah, then George the third you know, in the 429 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 2: throes of Sadness was quoted in saying that they had 430 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:02,880 Speaker 2: lost more than they had gained. And by the way, 431 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 2: on that ship, I think they had one hundred and 432 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:11,679 Speaker 2: two casualties the British did overall at Trafalgar, and then 433 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:15,640 Speaker 2: ninety six people survived. Back to William Baty's credit, he 434 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:19,119 Speaker 2: amputated the arms or the limbs of eleven men and 435 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:22,400 Speaker 2: nine of them survived, So his acumen as a surgeon 436 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:24,400 Speaker 2: was unimpeachable. 437 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 1: Which is, by the way, that is a fantastic ratio 438 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 1: for this time, almost unbelievably. So, yeah, it's true the Pickle. 439 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 1: The Pickle reached Britain before Nelson's Pickled Body did. I 440 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 1: do want to point out for any popular musicians in 441 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:45,520 Speaker 1: the audience today that the Pickle's name was originally the 442 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 1: HMS Sting. So if you were a musician who happens 443 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 1: to go by the name Sting, you're listening to our 444 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: show and you're thinking, what's my new brand name? You 445 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:57,119 Speaker 1: know what's my new change? 446 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:57,640 Speaker 2: Pickle? 447 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 1: Pickle, not pickles, just pickle. 448 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 2: That's really cute. I'm into that. That's a great rockstar 449 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 2: name because it's bold, because it's so cute sounding and. 450 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:10,439 Speaker 1: You get the flavor. It promotes synesthesia when you say it. 451 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 2: You know, it's funny. What happens if you have a 452 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 2: cut on your finger and you spill pickle juice on it? 453 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:17,160 Speaker 2: What does it do? Stings? 454 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:21,719 Speaker 1: Stings, they're connected, Oh man, all the pieces are coming together. 455 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:27,200 Speaker 1: That's a really good point. So it was a little 456 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:30,679 Speaker 1: bit of a tangent there, but it's advice to you 457 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 1: if you're listening sting. And as you said, Noel George 458 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 1: the third is beside himself. He is lachrymose. And when 459 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 1: the body finally arrives, William Beatty, the faithful surgeon, performs 460 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:50,440 Speaker 1: an autopsy, takes that musketball out of the guy's body. 461 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: He's been transferred to a second lead lin coffin, and 462 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 1: then he's finally moved to a wooden casket, and on 463 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 1: January ninth, eighteen oh six, at Saint Paul's Cathedral in London, 464 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 1: his funeral is held. 465 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:10,920 Speaker 2: And fun fact, the musketball in question is actually mounted 466 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:13,959 Speaker 2: in like a hinged lockett kind of situation with a 467 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:19,160 Speaker 2: piece of golden rope that I believe was from one 468 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:23,280 Speaker 2: of Admiral Nelson's uniforms. But I'm not quite sure if 469 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:25,040 Speaker 2: I see that here, and it's part of the Royal 470 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 2: Collection Trust, so I'm not sure. I'm not seeing if 471 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:29,159 Speaker 2: you can actually get a look at it, or if 472 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 2: it's in any kind of museum. But it definitely exists. 473 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:36,400 Speaker 2: But yeah, our crestfallen monarch, you know, says we will 474 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 2: spare no expense for the funeral of this great man. 475 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: Right boy George three makes the call, and this funeral 476 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 1: ends up costing around modern terms one point two million 477 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:55,320 Speaker 1: US dollars. But they would say that's money well spent. 478 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:59,840 Speaker 1: And now we have a little bit of liquor science. 479 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:02,879 Speaker 1: We talked about navy rum, which had its own reputation, 480 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: but then we also mentioned that Nelson's body was kept 481 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 1: in brandy and ethanol technically, which at the time was 482 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 1: called spirit of wine. That all goes down to the 483 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 1: surgeon William, because Irish Will. I've just decided to call 484 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 1: him Irish Will. I know a guy that I call 485 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:25,120 Speaker 1: Irish Will. He is Irish, by the way, and he's 486 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 1: fine with the name. 487 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:29,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, that sounds good. I'm okay with this nickname. Okay, great, 488 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 2: so Irish Will. The surgeon he knows that if he 489 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:36,400 Speaker 2: wants the body to have the best chance of surviving 490 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 2: this grueling two month journey, he should try to use 491 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 2: the liquor on board that has the strongest alcohol proof, 492 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 2: the highest alcohol content. 493 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 1: Right. But if that didn't work, it was politically safer 494 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 1: for him to use navy rum. Because get this, folks, 495 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 1: At this time, it was commonly known, not just by 496 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:00,840 Speaker 1: members of the navy, but by members of the regular 497 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 1: public that the best way to preserve a body at 498 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 1: sea was in navy rum. 499 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 2: They didn't use navy rum though, right, No, they used brandy. Ah, okay, 500 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 2: but so they not have any They had both, but 501 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 2: he figured that the higher alcohol content one would do 502 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:17,560 Speaker 2: the job better. 503 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, the brandy and ethanol. And also, imagine we have 504 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 1: to empathize with him a little bit. Imagine what a 505 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 1: huge responsibility it is if that guy's body had been 506 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:33,440 Speaker 1: lost at sea, or if he, as the surgeon, had 507 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: done something that was seen as disrespectful, or if he 508 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:42,640 Speaker 1: had been seen as kind of dropping the ball on 509 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: this got him. It would have been very, very bad 510 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: for his reputation and his career. So he was motivated 511 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 1: to do his level best, and people asked him at times, 512 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 1: why didn't you use rum instead of brandy? And numerous 513 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:01,560 Speaker 1: reports of the time said that he did use rum, 514 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:04,880 Speaker 1: because of course he did. Everyone assumed, you know, that's 515 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 1: what you use. And that's how navy rum came to 516 00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:12,040 Speaker 1: be called Nelson's blood. That's how people came to call 517 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 1: drinking liquor from a cask tap in the Admiral Oh, 518 00:30:16,560 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 1: I guess for a side note, we do have a 519 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 1: quote where Beady in what eighteen oh seven finally gets 520 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 1: sick of everybody needling him about this brandy versus rum thing. 521 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 2: A very general but erroneous opinion was found to prevail 522 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 2: on the victory's arrival in England that rum preserves the 523 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 2: dead body from decay much longer and more perfectly than 524 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 2: any other spirit, and ought therefore to have been used. 525 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 2: But the fact is quite the reverse, for there are 526 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 2: several kinds of spirits much better for that purpose than rum, 527 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:52,920 Speaker 2: and as their appropriateness in this respect arises from their 528 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:57,720 Speaker 2: degree and strength, on which alone their antiseptic quality depends. 529 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 2: Brandy is superior spirit of wine, however, is certainly by 530 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 2: far the best when it can. 531 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 1: Be prokilled, and that is a very well read quote 532 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:13,880 Speaker 1: kudos snool from Batty's book Authentic Narrative of the Death 533 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 1: of Lord Nelson. 534 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:17,560 Speaker 2: Just and then of being like his claim to fame anyway, 535 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 2: he wrote a whole book about it. He y, you know, 536 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:22,719 Speaker 2: this was like something that he gained some notoriety for 537 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:24,880 Speaker 2: for a good reason. I mean, he was Johnny on 538 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:26,680 Speaker 2: the Spot with Pickle in the body. He was so 539 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:29,040 Speaker 2: good at his job as a surgeon. I think he's 540 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 2: the real star of the show here amputating limbs left 541 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:35,720 Speaker 2: and right. But ultimately Batty lost his fight for accuracy 542 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:40,000 Speaker 2: because people love this rum idea so much that they 543 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 2: just went with it. And that's why, despite Nelson never 544 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:48,200 Speaker 2: being pickled in rum, people started calling this stuff Nelson's blood. 545 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:51,160 Speaker 2: And that's why to this day there's still pubs across 546 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 2: England called the Lord Nelson. That's right. I believe I've 547 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 2: heard of a few of those. Here's a little tidbit 548 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:03,960 Speaker 2: to and the show with. On January seventeenth and twenty eighteen, 549 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:09,000 Speaker 2: Sotheby's sold something called a grog chest, a very small 550 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:14,239 Speaker 2: velvet lined plush chest that contain it was like his 551 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 2: liquor kit. Basically, it had glasses flasks, and you know, 552 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,520 Speaker 2: containers that were used to hold grog, which would have 553 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:28,320 Speaker 2: been a particular type of alcoholic beverage that sailors are 554 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:31,200 Speaker 2: known for drinking. There's a lot of tiki drinks that 555 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:33,000 Speaker 2: are tight that are called grogs. 556 00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:38,640 Speaker 1: Oh man, and speaking of tiki drinks, speaking of grog 557 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:41,920 Speaker 1: in general, it might be time for the three of 558 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 1: us to call it a day. Thank you so much 559 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 1: for journeying with us through the life and death of 560 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:53,600 Speaker 1: Lord Horatio Nelson. We also want to mention, on an 561 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:58,520 Speaker 1: unrelated note, there's an excellent article in Smithsonian called Lord Nelson, 562 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:03,960 Speaker 1: Hero and cad by Michael Ryan. We didn't have time 563 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:04,480 Speaker 1: for it today. 564 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:05,320 Speaker 2: Why was he a cat? 565 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:07,920 Speaker 1: He's a cat man. There was a in two thousand 566 00:33:07,960 --> 00:33:11,800 Speaker 1: and four people discovered letters that darkened his honor. 567 00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 2: Cliff, hang us with that man. We've been building this 568 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:16,680 Speaker 2: guy up, but some kind of giant among men, and 569 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:19,280 Speaker 2: now all of a sudden you're gonna impeach his his 570 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:25,320 Speaker 2: pristine reputation posthumously. That's hurt that's hurtful, man, That is hurtful. Dude. 571 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 2: We'll have to leave the dark legacy of Admiral Horatio 572 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:31,480 Speaker 2: Nelson for another day. 573 00:33:31,600 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 1: He's just not the best husband. 574 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 2: That's fair. Well, okay, that's you know, often great men aren't. 575 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 1: That's true. That's true. 576 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 2: Not giving him a pass, but this has been a 577 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:43,920 Speaker 2: fun one and interesting story for sure. And I don't 578 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 2: know you want to be pickled in brandy when you go. 579 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 1: No man, I'm a shot in the space kind of guy. 580 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:50,360 Speaker 2: Shot in sem is very expensive. 581 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:53,440 Speaker 1: Ben, I'm really waiting for the price to break. 582 00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:53,960 Speaker 2: You know. 583 00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: I've been taking care of myself till that part. 584 00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:57,120 Speaker 2: That's fair. 585 00:33:57,560 --> 00:34:01,000 Speaker 1: So we want to say thanks to our super producer, 586 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 1: Casey Pegram, Thanks of course to Gabe, our research associate. 587 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 2: Thanks to Alex Williams who composed our theme. Thanks to you, 588 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:13,200 Speaker 2: Benjamin Bolan, my Sleepy Sleepy co host and dear friend. 589 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:16,760 Speaker 2: I'm looking forward to tapping the Admiral with you shortly. 590 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:21,719 Speaker 1: And thanks to you, Noljaman Brown, I look forward to 591 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:26,480 Speaker 1: that as well. This ends today's episode, but not our show. 592 00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:31,880 Speaker 1: Please tune in next time when we explore the strange 593 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:37,120 Speaker 1: tale of Heavy Water and Operation Will Operation Freshmen, but 594 00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 1: also Operation gun Runner. What are we talking about? 595 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:51,000 Speaker 2: I'll tell you next time for more podcasts from iHeartRadio, 596 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:54,360 Speaker 2: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen 597 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:55,440 Speaker 2: to your favorite shows.