The story runs that, the ship being ordered to New York and ready for sea, he had bidden her good-bye and gone on board, expecting to sail next day; but that, unable to bear the approaching separation, he returned to the city, and was on his way to the lady's home when his friend met him.
Tearing himself away from his mistress by a violent effort, Nelson, on the 20th of October, sailed for New York.

Arriving on the 13th of November, he found there a large part of the West India fleet, under Lord Hood, who had been second in command to Rodney on the occasion of the latter's celebrated victory over De Grasse in the previous April.

Rodney had since then been recalled to England, while Hood had gone to Boston to look after a division of the beaten French fleet, which was there refitting.

He was now on his return to the islands, where the enemy was expected to make a vigorous aggressive campaign the following spring.

Extensive preparations were in fact on foot for the reduction of Jamaica, frustrated six months before by De Grasse's mishap.