John Scott

Who is John Scott?

John Scott was a warrant officer in the Royal Navy. He was a friend and confidant to Lord Nelson and served as his secretary in HMS Victory. He was present at the Battle of Trafalgar during which he was killed in the opening exchanges.

Not much is known about Scott but letters kept by Lady Hamilton indicate that they knew each other well. Scott gave Emma news of Nelson and she in turn appears to have taken his wife under her wing. It was through her that he learnt of the birth of his son shortly after leaving England. Scott also spent time with Nelson and Emma at their home, Merton, during a brief spell of shore leave in the summer of 1805.

Scott served as purser of HMS Royal Sovereign before transferring to Victory in May 1803, a transfer that Nelson specifically requested. They served together throughout the long campaign that culminated in the Battle of Trafalgar; a battle that claimed the lives of them both. Assisted by a small team of clerks, John Scott acted as Nelson's principal secretary, dealing with most of the public correspondence. Foreign and confidential mail was handled by Victory's chaplain, the Rev. Alexander Scott.

Just prior to the Battle of Trafalgar, Victory's surgeon William Beatty was one of the many officers concerned by the conspicuous dress of Lord Nelson. It was Scott who advised Beatty to keep his thoughts to himself, remarking, "Take care doctor, what you are about. I would not be the man to mention such a matter to him".