Nelson's years in the West Indies as the young captain of the frigate HMS Boreas were an important period in his life that both shaped and predicted his role as a major player on history's stage. Yet even the best Nelson biographies have not significantly explored that formative period.
In this contemporary study, we see critical elements of Nelson's character emerge, elements that carried him through his legendary actions at the Battles of the Nile, Copenhagen, and Trafalgar. The years Nelson spent in the Caribbean as captain of Boreas included career-threatening conflict with local British officials, the local populace, and even his own naval commander. These conflicts forced Nelson to decide between what he thought was the right thing and what everyone else wanted him to do. In the midst of those career-shaping conflicts, Nelson met, wooed, and married Fanny Nisbet. Woodcuts from a rare book help to create a feel for the book's Caribbean setting