The Napoleonic war—or, more properly, wars were long and costly. Not every battle ended in victory. On July 25, 1797, Britain lost one and almost lost a treasure. Admiral Horatio Nelson led an ill-fated attack on the island of Tenerife. A cannonball hit Nelson as he stepped ashore. The result—a compound fracture and a severed artery—could have killed him. Quick action saved his life at the cost of his arm. His reputation as a hero was enhanced in spite of the loss.