What if Admiral Nelson has died in Tenerife

Nelson in Tenerife:

Nelson:
"I will not go into the question of why we are not in possession of Santa Cruz; partiality will make you believe that has been done so far everything possible, but without effect. Tonight I, humble as I am, I will take command of all the forces destined to land under the batteries of the people, and tomorrow my head probably will be crowned with laurels or cypress."
from Nelson to Jarvis letter.

The admiral had decided to personally lead one of the 6 groups of assault, in front of the other five would be the Trowbridge, Miller, Hood, Waller and Thompson captains. In this way, Nelson would participate directly in battle, avoiding to stay in their flagship as befits their degree of rear admiral and commander in chief of the operation. This personal decision to Nelson, supposed to be going to expose to the risk of combat, seriously endangering, if any mishap happened, commanding the landing force and the operation itself. Nelson, wounded pride, behaved like a brave soldier but also as an bad commander in chief.


25th of July:
The Battle began simultaneously on five fronts, with the main activities in the areas of the pier and the square of the stack, Santos Canyon and the beach of the Butcheries.

The Spanish batteries opened fire from Paso Alto to San Telmo. In the early days, when even the boats approached the coast, one, reached the Fox cutter below the waterline; the boat sank rapidly killing its commander, Lieutenant Gibson, and other 97 soldiers and sailors.

Spanish strong resistance caused many deaths and injuries; between those casualties was Horatio Nelson.

Indeed, when Nelson was incorporated into his boat to jump to the ground, and drew his sword, shrapnel shot hit him above the right elbow. About the same time died the commander Richard Bowen, commander of the Terpsichore along with several officers and sailors.


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That would have happened if the prophecy that he had expressed to Admiral Jarvis had met and Admiral Nelson had died during the failed British attempt to conquer the Canary Islands in 1797, instead of receiving the gunshot wound that will move drew the loss of his arm. It's possible that he may be wounded a few millimeters away from where it was in OTL or perhaps suffers an infection with the same deadly outcome.

The attempted conquest of Tenerife had already failed, just missing the British in recognize that fact.

With his commander in chief dead, who had taken command of the British expeditionary force would have acted as ... he would retire or persist in attempts to take to Tenerife?


As they would result British naval strategies in TTL, without H. Nelson in command.

There would be some difference of approach or results in its execution?


I guess anyway would have happened sooner or later some decisive battle between the Franco-Hispanic and British fleets ... with the same result?

Who or those who could have replaced Nelson in command in that hypothetical battle ...
 
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Maybe I'm wrong... but thought it would be an interesting question to discuss the consequences of Admiral Nelson had died in the failed British attempt to conquer the Canary Islands and the possible implications ... if there were any significant or not. :confused:
 
Maybe I'm wrong... but thought it would be an interesting question to discuss the consequences of Admiral Nelson had died in the failed British attempt to conquer the Canary Islands and the possible implications ... if there were any significant or not. :confused:


Terribly sorry been busy.

It is interesting but rather hard to quantify. Nelson was important an officer and legend in his own life time but while he might be missed he was replaceable.

It is hard to say for sure how much impact his loss would have had at this juncture. He was obviously still a way off from achieving his later fame, a minor celebratory but likely to be seen as no more gifted than many others had he died.
 
Terribly sorry been busy.

It is interesting but rather hard to quantify. Nelson was important an officer and legend in his own life time but while he might be missed he was replaceable.

It is hard to say for sure how much impact his loss would have had at this juncture. He was obviously still a way off from achieving his later fame, a minor celebratory but likely to be seen as no more gifted than many others had he died.

Thanks for answering...

Pose the question because of my reading of the English sources he was a master strategist ,the organizer and largely responsible for the planning that gave their victory at Trafalgar.

For your answer I can infer that much of his reputation was more due to construction of a heroic mythification about her figure by later historians that what truly influenced the naval war against the Napoleonic empire?


So, I guess his absence would not be noticeable nor he would been too much influence in the Royal Navy or in its conduction of the war....
 
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