Lowly sailor persuaded Lord Nelson to change his rousing ‘England expects’ order, historic note reveals
Signalman asked his master if he could change the word 'confides' to 'expects' as the former was not in his signal vocabulary
A LOWLY signalman persuaded Lord Nelson to change his “England expects” order, a note reveals.
Just as Nelson's navy was about to go into the momentous battle against the combined French and Spanish fleet on October 21, 1805, the hero sailor issued a rousing message to the crews.
He instructed his signal lieutenant, John Pasco, to hoist the message 'England confides that every man will do his duty'.
But Pasco asked his master if he could change the word 'confides' to 'expects' as the former was not in his signal vocabulary.
The famous signal was then given to the fleet and the British went on to defeat the enemy, a victory tainted by Nelson's death.
In the 1830s Pasco explained the series of events in the handwritten note that is now to be sold at auction.
He wrote in third person narrative: "John Pasco - Captain Royal Navy - was senior lieutenant of the Victory with Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar but had the honour to make the ever to be remembered signal.
"'England expects every man to do his duty' and he was permitted by Lord Nelson to substitute the word 'expects' instead of 'confides' the word Lord Nelson chose."
Several years later Pasco wrote a fuller account of the exchange. He stated: "His LoNavrdship came to me on the poop, and after ordering certain signals to be made, about a quarter to noon, he said, 'Mr. Pasco, I wish to say to the fleet, England confides that every man will do his duty' and he added 'You must be quick, for I have one more to make which is for close action.'
"I replied, 'If your Lordship will permit me to substitute the confides for expects the signal will soon be completed, because the word expects is in the vocabulary, and confides must be spelt.'
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"His Lordship replied, in haste, and with seeming satisfaction, 'That will do, Pasco, make it directly.'"
Almost 200 years after it was penned the revealing note, which is signed at the top, has surfaced at auctioneers Bonhams where it is expected to sell for £3,000.
Sarah Lindberg, manuscript specialist at the auction house, said: "The famous signal is synonymous with the man himself but many do not know the story behind it.
"This handwritten note gives an account of what actually happened that fateful day, explaining how the wording was changed.
"Pasco's alteration to Nelson's signal has gone down in history."
She added: "I imagine it was written as a souvenir for someone, perhaps an autograph hunter.
"Anyone who knew Nelson would be interested in meeting Pasco, it could even have belonged to an autograph hunter.
"It's very rare to come across Pasco memorabilia at auction but there are of course countless Nelson collectors, so this piece should generate significant interest."
At the Battle of Trafalgar, which marked a momentous victory over the French Empire despite the death of the British leader, Pasco was also severely wounded in action, suffering a shot to his right side.
In January 1806 Pasco accompanied the coffin for Nelson's state funeral at St Paul's Cathedral.
He went on to have a distinguished naval career, taking command of six ships, the last of which coincidentally was HMS Victory, where he was promoted to Rear Admiral.
He died in 1853 at the age of 79.
His handwritten note has been brought to auction by a private UK collector but the ownership history before this point is not known.
It will be sold by Bonhams in London on November 9.