Neptune
Pictures: In a sentence, who is Nelson?
Chad Rogers: Horatio Nelson is England's greatest naval commander, responsible
for defending Great Britain from Napoleon's seemingly invincible war machine
on numerous occasions.
NP:
So, you're writing a movie about some famous naval battles?
CR: Not quite. Nelson is so much more than that, which the reason he's
still loved so much nearly two hundred years after his death. Beyond being a
tactical genius at sea, he was a respected leader by his men and adored by his
nation. I'd say he was the embodiment of the spirit of Great Britain.
NP:
He sounds like a seafaring version of the Duke of Wellington.
CR: While both are known for their military exploits and both lived during
the same period, they are two completely different men. Wellington's rise in
rank was helped by his already-elite status in the British social hierarchy
(as well as his family's money). And he looked the part, a big strapping
fellow. But Nelson, the son of a country parson, presented the furthest
thing you'd expect of a "war hero."
NP:
How so?
CR: Well, physically, he was small, only about five-foot-four, probably
a hundred and thirty pounds soaking wet. He was one of those hypochondriacs
who actually got sick. In fact, although he spent over thirty years at sea,
he frequently got seasick.
NP:
You're kidding.
CR: Nope. So you could imagine how pathetic and weak this man would appear
to the huge, muscular and hardened seamen of his time. Mentally, however, he
was a keen, ruthless and cunning warrior. He led from the front, and he displayed
without hesitation as much courage as he demanded.
NP:
This courage of his got him into trouble quite a bit, didn't it?
CR: Absolutely. Even as a senior officer, when it would've been perfectly
acceptable for him to direct a military action from a safe distance, he insisted
on personally leading his men. This noble code cost him the use of an eye, the
loss of an arm, several terrible scars, and ultimately his life. But his men
saw this, saw that he was in just as much danger as they were, and they respected
him for that.