HMS Pickle: The Swiftest Ship in Nelson''s Trafalgar Fleet

The curiously named HMS Pickle was the second-smallest British ship in Nelsons fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar. She acquired enduring fame, however, as the ship that carried Lord Collingwoods dispatch announcing the death, in the midst of battle, of Nelson.

A topsail schooner and deemed too small to take part in the line of battle, Pickle and ships like it were essential in the transmission of communication. Relaying messages between admiral and Admiralty, the rapid movement of these ships pioneered an early worldwide web of information that helped secure a British victory over Napoleon.

In this revised and updated edition, Captain Peter Hore describes the Pickles beginnings as a civilian vessel, her arming for naval use and the pivotal role she played in Admiral Cornwalliss inshore squadron keeping watch over the French and Spanish. This full and captivating history narrates a colourful story of one small ship and the courage and resolution of her determined crew.