Shanty written by Nelson's crew on sale for £25,000 The historic letter is an example of that and is now being sold at auction for the first time at Bentley's auctioneers of Kent for a pre-sale estimate of £25,000. Although undated, Andrew Baines, the curator of Nelson's flagship HMS Victory at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth, believes it was written in 1797. Mr Baines said: "I suspect the shanty was written shortly after the battle and reflects the esteem in which Nelson was approved by his crews. He really made his name at the Battle of the Cape of St Vincent and I suspect what we are seeing here is Nelson seeing the first flames of fame that he was somewhat eager to fan. He had a habit of writing to friends who he knew weren't very discreet and would, on his behalf, ensure that he received the publicity he felt he was due. The shanty talks about brave Nelson and his naval glories and is an indication as to how well Nelson was regarded by his men at this time. He brought glory to the ships he served on which meant he brought glory to his men and that is what comes across in this shanty. It is a private letter in his own hand, probably shortly before he lost his right arm in battle. I have never seen it before and it isn't referred to in any of the biographies on Nelson. It really is a very nice thing. HMS San Josef was named the San Jose and was brand new when she was captured from the Spanish by Nelson. The navy commander is said to have gone into battle with the cry of 'Westminster Abbey or Glorious Victory' before boarding the Spanish ship, San Nicolas, and then the San Jose. The British brought the San Josef back to Plymouth to be re-fitted but not before it stopped at Spithead off Portsmouth, from where Nelson wrote the letter. Nelson went on to become Britain's most famous seaman before he was fatally shot at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The shanty letter has been owned by the Southampton Museum for many years until it was recently sold to a dealer who is auctioning it on July 6. The shanty: Shipmates put about the grog give old father time a jog and that he may quicker flee to bring Nelson back to sea, kind my shipmates with your jog that you give him too some grog. And when he shall Nelson bring of quill and feathers from each wing pluck my lads at least a score we shall want them all and more to record some future story of brave Nelson's naval glory. Avast! and unplucked let him go for where to write we should not know since Nelson (Neptune's favourite son) in glory's seas a course has run to bright to quick and yet to ready, damn! his log book's full of fame already.