Battle of Trafalgar 38855 226089786 2008-07-16T19:53:39Z 88.207.182.106 {{Infobox Military Conflict |conflict=Battle of Trafalgar |partof=the [[Napoleonic Wars]] |image=[[Image:Turner, The Battle of Trafalgar (1806).jpg|300px]] |caption=''The '''Battle of Trafalgar''', as seen from the mizzen starboard shrouds of the [[HMS Victory|Victory]]'' by [[J. M. W. Turner]] (oil on canvas, 1806 to 1808) |date=[[21 October]], [[1805]] |place=[[Cape Trafalgar]], [[Spain]] |result=Decisive British Victory |combatant1=[[Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|25px]] [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]] |combatant2=[[Image:Flag of France.svg|25px]] [[First French Empire]]<br>[[Image:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|25px]] [[Enlightenment Spain|Bourbon Spain]] |commander1=[[Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|25px]] [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson]] {{KIA}} |commander2=[[Image:Flag of France.svg|25px]] [[Pierre-Charles-Jean-Baptiste-Silvestre de Villeneuve|Pierre Villeneuve]]<br>[[Image:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|25px]] [[Federico Carlos Gravina y Nápoli|Federico Nápoli]] |strength1=27 ships of the line and 6 others. |strength2=France: 18 ships of the line and 8 others. Spain: 15 ships of the line |casualties1=449 dead,<br>1,246 wounded <br>'''Total: 1,695''' |casualties2=7,000 captured,<br>21 ships captured,<br>1 ship destroyed France: 2,218 dead,<br>1,155 wounded Spain: 1,025 dead,<br>1,383 wounded <br>'''Total: 12,781''' }} {{Campaignbox Third Coalition}} The '''Battle of Trafalgar''', an historic sea battle between the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Royal Navy]] fleet of 27 [[Ship of the line|ships of the line]] which defeated the combined fleets of the [[French Navy]] and [[Spanish Navy (Armada Española)|Spanish Navy]] of 33 ships of the line, was fought on [[21 October]] [[1805]] west of [[Cape Trafalgar]] in south-west [[Spain]]. The French and Spanish lost 22 ships, while the British lost none in the most decisive naval engagement of the [[Napoleonic Wars]]. The British commander [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Admiral Lord Nelson]] died late in the battle. Since then he has been considered one of Britain's greatest naval heroes. The combined French-Spanish fleet was commanded by French Admiral [[Pierre Charles Silvestre de Villeneuve|Pierre Villeneuve]], under whose command was the Spanish Admiral [[Federico Carlos Gravina y Nápoli|Federico Gravina]] commanding the Spanish fleet, who also died months after the battle due to the wounds he received. It was part of the War of the [[Third Coalition]], and a pivotal naval [[battle]] of the 19th century. The British victory spectacularly confirmed the naval supremacy that Britain had established during the 18th century. However, by the time it was fought, [[Napoleon Bonaparte|Napoleon]] had abandoned his plans to invade southern England and instead was defeating the other two major powers of the time, Austria and Russia in Central Europe. <!-- How is this relevant to the battle? --> <!-- The 200th anniversary of the battle was marked by [[Trafalgar 200]] celebrations in the [[United Kingdom]]. --> ==Origins== In 1805, the [[First French Empire]], under [[Napoleon]], was the dominant military land power on the European continent, while the British [[Royal Navy]] controlled the seas. During the course of the war, the British imposed a [[naval blockade]] on France, which affected trade and kept the French from fully mobilizing their own naval resources. Despite several successful evasions of the blockade by the French navy, it failed to inflict a major defeat upon the British. The British were able to attack French interests at home and abroad with relative ease. Meanwhile the French built the so-called Continental System which disallowed any trade whatsoever for the English with the European Continent with the net result and effect that the English were frozen out of Europe as the French controlled all major European ports except the Prussian ones. Thus Britain was eventually forced to attack Napoleon on land. When the [[Third Coalition]] declared war on France after the short-lived [[Peace of Amiens]], Napoleon Bonaparte was determined to invade Britain. To do so, he needed to ensure that the Royal Navy would be unable to disrupt the invasion [[flotilla]], which would require control of the English Channel. The main French [[Naval fleet|fleets]] were at [[Brest, France|Brest]] in [[Brittany]] and at [[Toulon]] on the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] coast. Other ports on the French Atlantic coast contained smaller [[Squadron (naval)|squadrons]]. France and Spain were allied, so the Spanish fleet based in [[Cádiz]] and [[Ferrol]] was also available. The British possessed an experienced and well-trained corps of naval officers. By contrast, most of the best officers in the French navy had either been executed or dismissed from the service during the early part of the [[French Revolution]]. As a result, Vice-Admiral [[Pierre-Charles Villeneuve]] was the most competent senior officer available to command Napoleon's Mediterranean fleet. However, Villeneuve had shown a distinct lack of enthusiasm to face Nelson and the Royal Navy after the defeat at the [[Battle of the Nile]]. Napoleon's naval plan in 1805 was for the French and Spanish fleets in the Mediterranean and [[Cádiz]] to break through the blockade and join forces in the [[West Indies]]. They would then return, assist the fleet in Brest to emerge from the blockade, and together clear the [[English Channel]] of Royal Navy ships, ensuring a safe passage for the invasion barges. The plan seemed good on paper but as the war wore on, Napoleon's unfamiliarity with naval strategy and ill-advised naval commanders continued to haunt the French. ===West Indies=== Early in 1805, Admiral Lord Nelson commanded the British fleet blockading Toulon. Unlike [[William Cornwallis]], who maintained a tight blockade of Brest with the Channel Fleet, Nelson adopted a loose blockade in hopes of luring the French out for a major battle. However, Villeneuve's fleet successfully evaded Nelson's when his forces were blown off station by storms. While Nelson was searching the Mediterranean for him, Villeneuve passed through the [[Straits of Gibraltar]], rendezvoused with the Spanish fleet, and sailed as planned to the [[West Indies]]. Once Nelson realised that the French had crossed the [[Atlantic Ocean]], he set off in pursuit.<ref>Admirals of the time, due to the slowness of communications, were given considerable autonomy to make [[Naval strategy|strategic]] as well as [[Naval tactics|tactical]] decisions.</ref> ===Cádiz=== Villeneuve returned from the West Indies to Europe, intending to break the blockade at Brest, but after two of his Spanish ships were captured during the [[Battle of Cape Finisterre (1805)|Battle of Cape Finisterre]] by a squadron under Vice-Admiral Sir [[Robert Calder]], Villeneuve abandoned this plan and sailed back to [[Ferrol]]. Napoleon's invasion plans for England depended entirely on having a sufficiently large number of ships of the line before [[Boulogne-sur-Mer|Boulogne]], [[France]]. This would require Villeneuve's force of 32 ships to join Vice-Admiral [[Honoré Joseph Antoine Ganteaume|Ganteaume]]'s force of 21 ships at Brest, along with a squadron of 5 ships under Captain Allemand, which would have given him a combined force of 58 ships of the line. When Villeneuve set sail from Ferrol on [[10 August]], he was under strict orders from Napoleon to sail northward toward Brest. Instead, he worried that the British were observing his manoeuvres, so on [[11 August]] he sailed southward towards [[Cádiz]] on the southwestern coast of Spain. With no sign of Villeneuve's fleet by [[26 August]], the three French army corps invasion force near [[Boulogne-sur-Mer|Boulogne]] broke camp and marched to [[Germany]], where it would become fully engaged. The same month, Nelson returned home to England after two years of duty at sea, for some well-earned rest. He remained ashore for 25 busy days, and was warmly received by his countrymen, who were understandably nervous about a possible French invasion. Word reached England on [[2 September]] about the combined French and Spanish fleet in the harbour of Cádiz. Nelson had to wait until [[15 September]] before his ship [[HMS Victory|HMS ''Victory'']] was ready to sail. On [[15 August]], Cornwallis made the fateful decision to detach 20 ships of the line from the fleet guarding the [[English Channel|Channel]] and to have them sail southward to engage the enemy forces in [[Spain]]. This left the Channel somewhat denuded of ships, with only eleven ships of the line present. However, this detached force formed the nucleus of the British fleet that would fight at Trafalgar. Initially this fleet was placed under the command of Vice-Admiral Calder, reaching Cádiz on [[15 September]]. Nelson joined the fleet on [[29 September]] to take command. The British fleet used [[frigate]]s to keep a constant watch on the harbour, while the main force remained out of sight 50 miles <!-- nautical (which nautical?) or statute? -->(80 km) west of the shore. Nelson's hope was to lure the combined Franco-Spanish force out and engage them in a "pell-mell battle". The force watching the harbour was led by Captain Blackwood, commanding [[HMS Euryalus (1803)|HMS ''Euryalus'']]. He was brought up to a strength of seven ships (five frigates and two schooners) on [[8 October]]. ===Supply situation=== At this point, Nelson's fleet badly needed provisioning. On [[2 October]], five ships of the line, [[HMS Queen (1769)|''Queen'']], [[French ship Franklin (1797)|''Canopus'']], [[HMS Spencer (1800)|''Spencer'']], [[HMS Zealous (1785)|''Zealous'']], [[French ship Tigre (1793)|''Tigre'']], and the frigate [[HMS Endymion (1797)|''Endymion'']] were dispatched to [[Gibraltar]] under Rear-Admiral Louis for supplies. These ships were later diverted for convoy duty in the Mediterranean, whereas Nelson had expected them to return. Other British ships continued to arrive, and by [[15 October]] the fleet was up to full strength for the battle. Although it was a significant loss, once the first-rate ''Royal Sovereign'' had arrived, Nelson allowed Calder to sail for home in his flagship, the 98-gun [[HMS Prince of Wales (1794)|''Prince of Wales'']]. Calder's apparent lack of aggression during the engagement off Cape Finisterre on [[July 22]] had caused the Admiralty to recall him for a court martial and he would normally have been sent back to Britain in a smaller ship. Meanwhile, Villeneuve's fleet in Cádiz was also suffering from a serious supply shortage that could not be readily rectified by the cash-strapped French. The blockades maintained by the British fleet had made it difficult for the allies to obtain stores and their ships were ill fitted. Villeneuve's ships were also more than two thousand men short of the force needed to sail. These were not the only problems faced by the Franco-Spanish fleet. The main French ships of the line had been kept in harbour for years by the British blockades with only brief sorties. The hasty voyage across the Atlantic and back used up vital supplies and was no match for the British fleet's years of experience at sea and training. The French crews contained few experienced sailors, and as most of the crew had to be taught the elements of seamanship on the few occasions when they got to sea, gunnery was neglected. Villeneuve's supply situation began to improve in October, but news of Nelson's arrival made Villeneuve reluctant to leave port. Indeed, his captains had held a vote on the matter and decided to stay in the harbour. On the 16th of September, Napoleon gave orders for the French and Spanish ships at Cadiz to put to sea at the first favourable opportunity, join with seven Spanish ships of the line then at [[Cartagena, Spain|Cartagena]], go to [[Naples]], and land the soldiers they carried to reinforce his troops there, and fight with decisive action if they met a British fleet of inferior numbers. ==Nelson's battle plan== Prevailing [[Naval tactics in the Age of Sail|tactical orthodoxy]] at the time involved manoeuvring to approach the enemy fleet in a single [[line of battle]] and then engaging in parallel lines. Before this time the fleets had usually been involved in a melée with the fleets becoming mixed together. One of the reasons for the development of the line of battle was to help the admiral control the fleet. If all the ships were in line, signalling in battle became possible. The line also had defensive properties, allowing either side to disengage by breaking away in formation. If the attacker chose to continue combat their line would be broken as well. Often this latter tactic led to inconclusive battles or allowed the losing side to reduce its losses. Nelson wished to see a conclusive battle. His solution to the problem was to deliberately cut the opposing line in two. Approaching in two columns sailing directly at the enemy, one near the centre of the opposing line and one near the trailing end, his ships would break the enemy formation in half, surround that half, and force them to fight to the end. Nelson specifically hoped to cut the line just in front of the flagship: the isolated ships in front of the break would not be able to see the flagship's signals, hopefully taking them out of combat while they reformed. The intention of going straight at the enemy echoed the [[Naval tactics in the Age of Sail|tactics]] used by [[Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan of Camperdown|Admiral Duncan]] at the [[Battle of Camperdown]] and [[John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent|Admiral Jervis]] at the [[Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1797)|Battle of Cape St. Vincent]], both in 1797. The plan had three principal advantages. Firstly, it would allow the British fleet to close with the French-Spanish fleet as quickly as possible, reducing the chance that it would be able to escape without fighting. Secondly, it would quickly bring on a mêlée and frantic battle by breaking the French-Spanish line and inducing a series of individual ship-to-ship fights, in which the British were likely to prevail. Nelson knew that the better seamanship, faster gunnery, and higher morale of his crews had decisive advantages that could not be compensated for by any amount of bravery on the part of their opponents. Thirdly, it would bring a decisive concentration on the rear of the French-Spanish fleet. The ships in the van of the enemy fleet would have to turn back to support the rear, an effort which would take a long time. The main drawback of attacking head on was that the Franco-Spanish ships would be able to maintain a [[raking fire|raking]] [[broadside]] fire on the bows of the leading British ships as they approached, to which the British ships would be unable to reply. Nelson, however, was well aware that French and Spanish gunners were ill-trained, would in all probability be supplemented with soldiers, and would have difficulty firing accurately from a moving gun platform. After all the Combined Fleet was sailing across a heavy swell, which caused the ships to roll heavily and exacerbated the problem. Nelson's plan was indeed a gamble, but a carefully calculated one. During the period of [[blockade]] off the coast of [[Spain]] in October, Nelson instructed his captains as to how he meant to fight the approaching battle over two dinners aboard [[HMS Victory|''Victory'']]. The governing principles of his instructions were that the order of sailing, in which the fleet was arranged when the enemy was first sighted, was to be the order of ensuing battle, so that no time would be wasted in forming a precise line. The attack was to be made in two bodies, of which one, to be led by the second in command, [[Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood|Collingwood]], was to throw itself on the rear of the enemy, while the other, led by Nelson, was to take care of the centre and vanguard. In preparation for the battle, Nelson ordered the ships of his fleet painted in a distinctive yellow and black pattern (later known as the Nelson Chequer) that would make them easy to distinguish from their opponents. Nelson was careful to point out that something had to be left to chance. Nothing is sure in a sea fight beyond all others, and he left his captains free from all hampering rules by telling them that "No captain can do very wrong if he places his ship alongside that of the enemy." In short, the execution was to be as circumstances dictated, subject to the guiding rule that the enemy's rear was to be cut off and superior force concentrated on that part of the enemy's line. Admiral Villeneuve himself expressed his belief that Nelson would use some sort of unorthodox attack, stating specifically that he believed he would drive right at his lines. But his long game of cat and mouse with Nelson had worn him down, and he was suffering from a loss of nerve. Arguing that the inexperience of his officers meant he would not be able to maintain formation in more than one group, he chose to do nothing to counter an accurate assessment of Nelson's intentions. ==Departure== On 18 October 1805, [[Pierre-Charles Villeneuve|Villeneuve]] received a letter informing him that Vice-Admiral [[François Rosily]] had arrived in [[Madrid]] with orders to take command. At the same time, he received intelligence that a detachment of six British ships (Admiral Louis's squadron) had docked at [[Gibraltar]]. Stung by the prospect of being disgraced before the fleet, Villeneuve resolved to go to sea before his successor could reach Cadiz. Following a gale on [[18 October]], the fleet began a rapid scramble to set sail. The weather, however, suddenly turned calm following a week of gales. This slowed the progress of the fleet departing the harbour, giving the British plenty of warning. Villeneuve had drawn up plans to form a force of four squadrons, each containing both French and Spanish ships. Following their earlier vote to stay put, the captains were reluctant to leave Cádiz and as a result they failed to follow Villeneuve's orders closely (Villeneuve had reportedly become despised by many of the fleet's officers and crew). As a result, the fleet straggled out of the harbour in no particular formation. It took most of [[20 October]] for Villeneuve to get his fleet organised, and it set sail in three columns for the Straits of Gibraltar to the south-east. That same evening, the ship ''[[French ship Achille (1803)|Achille]]'' spotted a force of 18 British ships of the line in pursuit. The fleet began to prepare for battle and during the night they were ordered into a single line. The following day Nelson's fleet of 27 ships of the line and four frigates was spotted in pursuit from the north-west with the wind behind it. Villeneuve again ordered his fleet into three columns, but soon changed his mind and ordered a single line. The result was a sprawling, uneven formation. The British fleet was sailing, as they would fight, under [[signal 72]] hoisted on Nelson's flagship. At 5:40 a.m., the British were about 21 miles <!-- nautical (which nautical?) or statute? --> (34 km) to the north-west of Cape Trafalgar, with the Franco-Spanish fleet between the British and the Cape. At 6 a.m. that morning, Nelson gave the order to prepare for battle. At 8 a.m., Villeneuve ordered the fleet to ''wear together'' and turn back for Cádiz. This reversed the order of the Allied line, placing the rear division under Rear-Admiral [[Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley]] in the vanguard. The wind became contrary at this point, often shifting direction. The very light wind rendered manoeuvring virtually impossible for all but the most expert crews. The inexperienced crews had difficulty with the changing conditions, and it took nearly an hour and a half for Villeneuve's order to be completed. The French and Spanish fleet now formed an uneven, angular crescent, with the slower ships generally leeward and closer to the shore. [[Image:Nelson's prayer on Victory timber.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Nelson's pre-battle prayer, inscribed on oak timber from [[HMS Victory]]]] By 11 a.m. Nelson's entire fleet was visible to Villeneuve, drawn up in two parallel columns. The two fleets would be within range of each other within an hour. Villeneuve was concerned at this point about forming up a line, as his ships were unevenly spaced and in an irregular formation. The French-Spanish fleet was drawn out nearly five miles <!-- nautical (which nautical?) or statute? -->(8 km) long as Nelson's fleet approached. As the British drew closer, they could see that the enemy was not sailing in a tight order, but rather in irregular groups. Nelson could not immediately make out the French flagship as the French and Spanish were not flying command pennants. The six British ships dispatched earlier to Gibraltar had not returned, so Nelson would have to fight without them. He was outnumbered and outgunned, nearly 30,000 men and 2,568 guns to his 17,000 men and 2,148 guns. The Franco-Spanish fleet also had six more ships of the line, and so could more readily combine their fire. There was no way for some of Nelson's ships to avoid being "doubled on" or even "trebled on". ==Battle== [[Image:England Expects Signal.svg|thumb|right|Nelson's famous signal.]] [[Image:Trafalgar aufstellung.jpg|thumb|]] [[Image:England expects...retouched.jpg|thumb|Nelson's famous signal, "[[England expects that every man will do his duty]]", flying from ''Victory'' on the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar]] The battle progressed largely according to Nelson's plan. At 11:45, Nelson sent the famous [[flag]] signal, "[[England expects that every man will do his duty]]" He had instructed his signal officer, Lieutenant [[John Pasco]], to signal to the fleet the message "England confides [i.e. is confident] that every man will do his duty." Pasco suggested to Nelson that ''expects'' be substituted for ''confides'', since the former word was in the signal book, whereas ''confides'' would have to be spelled out letter-by-letter. Nelson agreed to the change.<ref name="HMS">{{cite web|title=Nelson and His Navy - England or Nelson?|url=http://www.hms.org.uk/nelsonsnavyee.htm|publisher=Historical Maritime Society|accessdate=2006-09-12}}</ref> {{cquote|His Lordship came to me on the poop, and after ordering certain signals to be made, about a quarter to noon, he said, "Mr. Pasco, I wish to say to the fleet, ENGLAND CONFIDES THAT EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY" and he added "You must be quick, for I have one more to make which is for close action." I replied, "If your Lordship will permit me to substitute the confides for expects the signal will soon be completed, because the word expects is in the vocabulary, and confides must be spelt," His Lordship replied, in haste, and with seeming satisfaction, "That will do, Pasco, make it directly."<ref name="NS">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20050324080325/http://www.nelson-society.org.uk/html/body_england_expects.htm|title=England Expects|publisher=The Nelson Society|accessdaymonth=24 March |accessyear=2005}}</ref>}} The term [[England]] was widely used at the time to refer to the [[United Kingdom]], though the British fleet included significant contingents from [[Ireland]], [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]] as well as England. Unlike the photographic depiction, this signal would have been shown on the [[mizzen]] mast only and would have required 12 'lifts'. As the battle opened, the French and Spanish were in a ragged curved line headed north. As planned, the British fleet was approaching the Franco-Spanish line in two columns. Leading the northern, windward column in his 104-gun flagship [[HMS Victory|''Victory'']] was Nelson, while [[Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood|Collingwood]] in the 100-gun [[HMS Royal Sovereign (1786)|''Royal Sovereign'']] led the second, leeward, column. As the two British columns approached from the west at nearly a right angle. Nelson led his line into a feint toward the van of the Franco-Spanish fleet and then abruptly turned toward the actual point of attack. Collingwood altered the course of his column slightly so that the two lines converged at this line of attack. Just before his column engaged the allied forces, Collingwood said to his officers, "Now, gentlemen, let us do something today which the world may talk of hereafter". Because the winds were very light during the battle, all the ships were moving extremely slowly, and the foremost British ships were under heavy fire from several of the enemy ships for almost an hour before their own guns could bear. [[Image:Trafalgar 1200hr.svg|thumb|Situation at 1200 hours as the Royal Sovereign was breaking into the Franco-Spanish line]] At noon, Villeneuve sent the signal "engage the enemy", and [[French ship Fougueux|''Fougueux'']] fired her first trial shot at ''Royal Sovereign''. ''Royal Sovereign'' had all sails out and, having recently had her bottom cleaned, outran the rest of the British fleet. As she approached the allied line, she came under fire from [[French ship Fougueux (1785)|''Fougueux'']], [[French ship Indomptable (1789)|''Indomptable'']], ''San Justo'' and ''San Leandro'', before breaking the line just astern of Admiral Alava's flagship ''Santa Ana'', into which she fired a devastating double-shotted [[raking fire|raking]] [[broadside]]. The second ship in the British lee column, [[HMS Belleisle (1795)|''Belleisle'']], was engaged by [[French ship L'Aigle (1794)|''L'Aigle'']], [[French ship Achille (1803)|''Achille'']], [[French ship Neptune|''Neptune'']] and ''Fougueux''; she was soon completely dismasted, unable to manoeuvre and largely unable to fight, as her sails blinded her batteries, but kept flying her flag for 45 minutes until the following British ships came to her rescue. [[Image:Trafalgar1.jpg|thumb|250px|Trafalgar Battle, situation at 13h]] For 40 minutes, ''Victory'' was under fire from [[French ship Héros (1795)|''Héros'']], [[Spanish ship Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad (1769)|''Santísima Trinidad'']], [[French ship Redoutable (1791)|''Redoutable'']] and [[French ship Neptune|''Neptune'']]; although many shots went astray others killed and wounded a number of her crew and shot away her wheel, so that she had to be steered from her tiller belowdecks. ''Victory'' could not yet respond. At 12:45, ''Victory'' cut the enemy line between Villeneuve's flagship [[French ship Bucentaure (1804)|''Bucentaure'']] and ''Redoutable''. ''Victory'' came close to the ''Bucentaure'', firing a devastating [[raking fire|raking]] broadside through her stern which killed and wounded many on her gundecks. Villeneuve thought that boarding would take place, and with the Eagle of his ship in hand, told his men: "I will throw it onto the enemy ship and we will take it back there!" However Admiral Nelson of ''Victory'' engaged the 74 gun ''Redoutable''. ''Bucentaure'' was left to be dealt with by the next three ships of the British windward column [[HMS Temeraire (1798)|''Temeraire'']], [[HMS Conqueror (1801)|''Conqueror'']] and [[HMS Neptune (1797)|''Neptune'']]. [[Image:Mort nelson.jpg|thumb|left|Nelson is shot on the quarterdeck of ''Victory'']] A general mêlée ensued and, during that fight, ''Victory'' locked masts with the French ''Redoutable''. The crew of the ''Redoutable'', which included a strong infantry corps (with 3 captains and 4 lieutenants), gathered for an attempt to board and seize the ''Victory''. A [[musket]] bullet fired from the mizzentop of the ''Redoutable'' struck Nelson in the left shoulder and passed through his spine at the sixth and seventh thorax vertebrae lodging two inches below his right scapula in the muscles of his back. Nelson exclaimed, "They finally succeeded, I am dead." He was carried below decks. [[Image:Redoutable.jpg|thumb|''Bucentaure'' being fired upon by ''Temeraire'' at Trafalgar]] ''Victory'' ceased fire, the gunners having been called on the deck to fight the capture but were repelled to the below decks by French grenades. As the French were preparing to board ''Victory'', the ''Temeraire'', the second ship in the British windward column, approached from the starboard bow of the ''Redoutable'' and fired on the exposed French crew with a [[carronade]], causing many casualties. At 13:55, [[Jean Jacques Etienne Lucas|Captain Lucas]], of the ''Redoutable'', with 99 fit men out of 643 and severely wounded himself, surrendered. The French ''Bucentaure'' was isolated by the ''Victory'' and ''Temeraire'', and then engaged by ''Neptune'', [[HMS Leviathan (1790)|''Leviathan'']] and ''Conqueror''; similarly, the ''Santísima Trinidad'' was isolated and overwhelmed, surrendering after three hours. [[Image:Trafalgar2.jpg|thumb|250px|Trafalgar Battle, situation at 17h]] As more and more British ships entered the battle, the ships of the allied centre and rear were gradually overwhelmed. The allied van, after long remaining quiescent, made a futile demonstration and then sailed away. The British took 22 vessels of the Franco-Spanish fleet and lost none. Among the taken French ships were the [[French ship L'Aigle (1794)|''L'Aigle'']], [[French ship Algésiras|''Algésiras'']], [[French ship Berwick|''Berwick'']], ''Bucentaure'', ''Fougueux'', [[French ship Intrépide|''Intrépide'']], ''Redoutable'', and [[French ship Swiftsure|''Swiftsure'']]. The Spanish ships taken were ''Argonauta'', ''Bahama'', ''Monarca'', ''Neptuno'', [[Spanish ship San Agustín|''San Agustín'']], ''San Ildefonso'', [[Spanish ship San Juan Nepomuceno|''San Juan Nepomuceno'']], [[Spanish ship Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad (1769)|''Santísima Trinidad'']], and ''Santa Ana''. Of these, ''Redoutable'' sank, ''Santísima Trinidad'' and ''Argonauta'' were scuttled by the British and later sank, [[French ship Achille (1803)|''Achille'']] exploded, ''Intrépide'' and ''San Augustín'' burned, and ''L'Aigle'', ''Berwick'', ''Fougueux'', and ''Monarca'' were wrecked in a gale following the battle. As Nelson lay dying, he ordered the fleet to anchor as a storm was predicted. However, when the storm blew up many of the severely damaged ships sank or ran aground on the [[shoals]]. A few of them were recaptured by the French and Spanish prisoners overcoming the small prize crews or by ships sallying from Cádiz. Admiral Nelson's final words were: 'Thank God, I have done my duty". He died at about 16:30, as the battle that would make him a legend was ending in favour of the British. {{seealso|Trafalgar order of battle and casualties}} {| border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" |-valign="top" | [[Image:Battle of Trafalgar French and Spanish Casualties.gif|left|thumb|300px|Battle of Trafalgar (1805) French and Spanish Casualties.]] | [[Image:Battle of Trafalgar British Casualties.gif|left|thumb|300px|Battle of Trafalgar British Casualties]] |-valign="top" |<small>Data for this chart are in [[Trafalgar order of battle and casualties]].<br>Blue = French (the two ships that took no casualties were both French.) <br>Red = Spanish <br>The number is the order in the line.</small> |<small>Data for this chart are in [[Trafalgar order of battle and casualties]].<br>Yellow = [[HMS Africa (1781)| HMS ''Africa'']]<br>Green = The Weather Column, led by [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson| Nelson]] <br>Grey = Lee Column, led by [[Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood| Collingwood]]<br>The number, is the order in the column.</small> |} ==Aftermath== Only eleven ships regained Cádiz, and of those only five were considered seaworthy. Under captain [[Julien Cosmao]], they set sail two days later and attempted to re-take some of the English prizes; they succeeded in re-capturing two ships, and forced Collingwood to scuttle a number of his prizes. The four van ships which escaped with Dumanoir were taken on [[November 4]] by [[Sir Richard Strachan, 6th Baronet|Sir Richard Strachan]] at the [[Battle of Cape Ortegal]]. When Rosily arrived in Cádiz, he found only five French ships remained rather than the 18 he was expecting. The surviving ships remained bottled up in Cádiz until 1808, when Napoleon invaded Spain. The French ships were then seized by the Spanish forces and put into service against France. HMS ''Victory'' made its way to Gibraltar for repairs carrying on board the body of Admiral Nelson. It put into Rosia Bay, Gibraltar and after emergency repairs were carried out it returned to England. Many of the injured crew were brought ashore at Gibraltar and treated in the Naval Hospital. Those that subsequently died from injuries sustained at the Battle are buried in and near the [[Trafalgar Cemetery]], at the south end of Main Street, Gibraltar. All of the Royal Marine Corps officers in HMS ''Victory'' were killed, leaving the Sergeant Major of Marines (who was first by Nelson's side when he was hit) in command of ''Victory'''s Marine detachment. {{Fact|date=August 2007}} The Battle took place the very day after the [[Battle of Ulm]], and Napoleon did not hear about it for a few weeks - the [[Grande Armée]] had left Boulogne to meet Britain's allies before they could muster a huge force. He had tight control over the Paris media and kept the defeat a closely guarded secret. In a propaganda move, the battle was declared a "spectacular victory" by the French and Spanish. {{Fact|date=October 2007}} Vice-Admiral Villeneuve was taken prisoner aboard his flagship and taken back to England. After his [[parole]] in 1806 and return to France, Villeneuve was found in his inn room during a stop on the way to Paris stabbed six times in the chest with a dining knife. While the verdict was that he had committed suicide, he was very likely murdered on the orders of Napoleon. Villeneuve had fallen from favour with Napoleon before Trafalgar and it was rumoured he was to be relieved of command. Losing the battle resulted in further disfavour with Napoleon. Less than two months later, the War of the [[Third Coalition]] ended with a decisive French victory over Russia and Austria, Britain's allies, at the [[Battle of Austerlitz]]. Prussia decided not to join the Coalition and, for a while, France was at peace again. However, it could no longer challenge Great Britain at sea. Napoleon instead established the [[Continental System]] in an attempt to deny Britain trade with the continent. ==Consequences== [[Image:Battle of Trafalgar Poster 1805.jpg|thumb|right|Detail from an 1805 poster commemorating the battle.]] [[Image:Broadside titled "The Battle of Trafalgar".jpg|thumb|right|A broadside from the 1850s recounts the story.]] Following the battle, the Royal Navy was never again seriously challenged by the French fleet in a large-scale engagement. Napoleon had already abandoned his plans of invasion before the battle and they were never revived. The battle did not mean however that the French naval challenge to Britain was over. First, as the French control over the continent expanded, Britain had to take active [[Battle of Copenhagen (1807)|steps]] in 1807 and 1808 to prevent the ships of smaller European navies from falling into French hands. This effort was largely successful, but did not end the French threat as Napoleon instituted a large scale shipbuilding program that produced a fleet of 80 ships of the line at the time of his fall from power in 1814, with more building. In comparison Britain had 99 ships of the line in active commission in 1814, and this was close to the maximum that could be supported. Given a few more years, the French could have realised their plans to commission 150 ships of the line and again challenge the Royal Navy, compensating for the inferiority of their crews with sheer numbers. <ref name=glover> Richard Glover, The French Fleet, 1807-1814; Britain's Problem; and Madison's Opportunity, The Journal of Modern History, Vol. 39, No. 3. (Sep., 1967), pp. 233-252. </ref> For almost 10 years after Trafalgar the Royal Navy maintained close blockade of French bases and anxiously observed the growth of the French fleet. In the end, Napoleon's Empire was destroyed before the ambitious buildup could be completed. Nelson became - and remains - Britain's greatest naval war hero, and an inspiration to the Royal Navy, yet his unorthodox tactics were only infrequently emulated by later generations. The first monument to be erected in Britain to commemorate Nelson was raised on [[Glasgow Green]] in 1806, possibly preceded by a monument at [[Taynuilt]], near [[Oban]] dated 1805, both also commemorating the many Scots crew and captains at the battle.<ref name=ee>[http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/trlout_gfx_en/TRA29483.html England expects - on the trail of Admiral Lord Nelson] Nelson monuments</ref><ref>[http://www.treeforall.org.uk/Scotland/News/Capital+City.htm Capital City - Tree for All] Five of Nelson’s 27 captains of the Fleet were Scottish as were almost 30% of the crew</ref> The 44 m (144 ft) tall [[Nelson Monument]] on Glasgow Green was designed by [[David Hamilton]] and paid for by public subscription. Around the base are the names of his famous victories: [[Battle of Aboukir|Aboukir]] (1798), [[Battle of Copenhagen|Copenhagen]] (1801) and Trafalgar (1805). In 1808, [[Nelson's Pillar]] was erected in [[Dublin]] to commemorate Nelson and his achievements (many sailors at Trafalgar had been Irish<ref>[http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART32693.html First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Alan West on Trafalgar 2005] reports recruitment English 53%, Irish 21%, Scots 7% though many more may have been recruited in England</ref><ref>[http://www.poppyland.co.uk/index.php?s=NELACT1 Poppyland Activity 1: Nelson's Crew at Trafalgar]</ref>), and remained until it was blown up by "Old [[Irish Republican Army (1922-1969)|IRA]]" members in 1966.<ref name=ee/> [[Nelson's Monument]] in [[Edinburgh]] was built between 1807 and 1815 in the form of an upturned [[telescope]], and in 1853 a [[time ball]] was added which still drops at noon [[GMT]] to give a time signal to ships in [[Leith]] and the [[Firth of Forth]]. In summer this coincides with the ''one o'clock gun'' being fired. The [[Britannia Monument]] in [[Great Yarmouth]] was raised by 1819 [[London]]'s famous [[Trafalgar Square]] was named in honour of his victory, and Nelson's statue on [[Nelson's Column]], finished in 1843, towers triumphantly over it. The disparity in losses has been attributed by some historians less to Nelson's daring tactics, than to the difference in fighting readiness of the two fleets{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. Nelson's fleet was made up of ships of the line which had spent considerable amount of sea time during months of blockades of French ports, whilst the French fleet had generally been at anchor in port. However, Villeneuve's fleet had just spent months at sea crossing the Atlantic twice, which supports the proposition that the main difference between the two fleets' combat effectiveness was the morale of the leaders. The daring tactics employed by Nelson were to ensure a strategically decisive result. The results vindicated his naval judgement. The Royal Navy proceeded to dominate the seas for the remaining years of sail. Although the victory at Trafalgar was typically given as the reason at the time, modern analysis by historians such as [[Paul Kennedy]] suggests that relative economic strength was a more important underlying cause of British naval mastery. An anecdotal consequence, related to Trafalgar, is that [[Ranks in the French Navy|French Navy officers]] have not been called "sir" ever since, supposedly due to Napoleon's disgust at his great fleet having been so comprehensively beaten. {{Fact|date=June 2008}} ==200th anniversary== [[Image:Nelson On His Column - Trafalgar Square - London - 240404.jpg|thumb|right|Nelson on top of his [[Nelson's column|column]] in [[Trafalgar Square]]]] In 2005, a series of events around the UK, as part of the ''[[Sea Britain]]'' theme, marked the [[bicentenary]]. The [[Trafalgar 200|200th anniversary of the battle]] was also marked by six days of celebrations in [[Portsmouth]] during June and July, and at [[St Paul's Cathedral]] (where Nelson is entombed) and in Trafalgar Square in London in October (''[[T Square 200]]''), as well as across the rest of the UK. On [[28 June]], the [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen]] was involved in the biggest [[International Fleet Review|Fleet Review]] in modern times in [[the Solent]], in which 167 ships from 35 nations took part. The Queen inspected the international fleet from the Antarctic patrol ship [[HMS Endurance (A171)|HMS ''Endurance'']]. The fleet included six carriers: [[FS Charles de Gaulle|''Charles De Gaulle'']], [[HMS Illustrious (R06)|''Illustrious'']], [[HMS Invincible (R05)|''Invincible'']], [[HMS Ocean (L12)|''Ocean'']], [[Spanish aircraft carrier Principe de Asturias|''Príncipe de Asturias'']] and [[USS Saipan (LHA-2)|''Saipan'']]. The frigate [[Grand Turk (frigate)|''Grand Turk'']] played the part of [[HMS Victory|HMS ''Victory'']] in a symbolic re-enactment of the battle. [[Lapenotiere]]'s historic voyage in [[HMS Pickle (1800)|HMS Pickle]] bringing the news of victory from the fleet to [[Falmouth, Cornwall|Falmouth]] and thence by post chaise to the [[Admiralty]] in London, was commemorated by the [[New Trafalgar Dispatch]] and [[Trafalgar Way]] celebrations, from July to September, in which an actor played the part of Lapenotiere and reenacted the historic journey. On [[21 October]], naval manoeuvres were conducted in Trafalgar Bay, near [[Cadiz]], involving a combined fleet from Britain, Spain and France. Many descendants of those men who fought and died in these waters, including members of Nelson's family, were present at the ceremony. ==In popular culture== [[Image:Turner, The Battle of Trafalgar (1822).jpg|thumb|300px|''[[The Battle of Trafalgar (painting)|The Battle of Trafalgar]]'' by [[J. M. W. Turner]] (oil on canvas, 1822&ndash;1824) combines events from several moments during the battle]] *In the [[Richard Sharpe (fictional character)|Richard Sharpe]] series of novels (specifically ''Sharpe's Trafalgar'') by [[Bernard Cornwell]], Sharpe finds himself at the Battle of Trafalgar aboard the fictitious HMS ''Pucelle'', following a complicated series of events which began in [[India]]. *In ''1805'', one of the [[Nathaniel Drinkwater]] series of novels by [[Richard Woodman]]. Drinkwater is a prisoner aboard the French flagship ''[[French ship Bucentaure (1804)|Bucentaure]]''. *''Trafalgar'', a book about the battle of the same name, opens the series of novels ''Episodios Nacionales'' by [[Benito Pérez Galdós]]. *In the [[alternate history (fiction)|alternate history]] collection ''[[Alternate Generals (book)|Alternate Generals]]'', John W. Mina's short story "Vive l'Amiral" posits Admiral Nelson fleeing an English debtor's prison, ending up in France and leading Napoleon's navy to victory at Trafalgar. *Spanish writer [[Arturo Pérez-Reverte]] has published the novel ''Cape Trafalgar'' (''Cabo Trafalgar'', ed. Alfaguara 2004, in Spanish). *Recently an [[Alexandre Dumas, père]] novel was discovered entitled [[The Knight of Sainte-Hermine|''Le Chevalier de Sainte-Hermine'']]. The book is an adventure story set in the Napoleonic Era in which the main character is alleged to be the one who shot Nelson. *In the final episode of the third series of the [[BBC]] historical [[sitcom]] ''[[Blackadder]]'' "Duel and Duality", the [[Arthur Wellesley|Duke of Wellington]] ([[Stephen Fry]]) informs [[Edmund Blackadder|Blackadder]] ([[Rowan Atkinson]]) (disguised as the [[George IV|Prince Regent]]) that Nelson is stationed in [[Alaska]] "in case [[Napoleon Bonaparte|Boney]] should try and trick us by coming via the [[North Pole]]". Blackadder suggests that the [[Royal Navy]] block the French from leaving the Mediterranean at [[Cape Trafalgar|Trafalgar]] - something Wellington declares he will mention to Nelson. *In the [[Horatio Hornblower]] series, by [[C.S. Forester]], Hornblower is given the task of delivering false orders to Villeneuve. Since Hornblower speaks fluent French and Spanish, he is successful in his mission. Villeneuve sends his fleet out of Cadiz and to the destruction that takes place at Trafalgar. Even though Hornblower does not participate in the battle itself, he is put in charge of Admiral Nelson's funeral in England. These events take place at the end of ''[[Hornblower and the Crisis]]'' and at the beginning of ''[[Hornblower and the Atropos]]''. *In ''[[The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier]]'', Hornblower is mentioned as being the British commander at the Battle of Trafalgar (taking the position of the historical Nelson) and with "Hornblower's Column" being built in London to commemorate his role in the battle. *In the novel ''Honour This Day'' from the what is known as the [[Richard Bolitho]] series by [[Alexander Kent]], Bolitho's squadron is sent first to the West Indies with the task of intercepting a Spanish quota ship and, then, in 1805 to the Mediterranean, to prevent reinforcements from reaching the Combined Fleet at Trafalgar *In the ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' episode "[[The Best of Both Worlds (TNG episode)|The Best of Both Worlds]]", Captain [[Jean-Luc Picard]] discusses the traditions of touring a ship before battle with his [[bartender]] and confidant, [[Guinan]], and mentions [[Horatio Nelson]] and the Battle of Trafalgar. In the film ''[[Star Trek Generations]]'', Picard reveals that one of his ancestors fought at Trafalgar (it was never made clear for which side, although Picard is originally from France). *In [[Louis A. Meyer]]'s ''[[Under the Jolly Roger]]'', the third ''[[Bloody Jack (novel)|Bloody Jack]]'' novel, the heroine, Jacky Faber, cross-dressing English-woman and Lieutenant in the British Royal Navy, is captured as a pirate by British forces on the eve of the battle. Her ship is destroyed, but she escapes from the brig in time to "man" the guns in grim action against the ''Redoutable''. ==Footnotes== {{Nofootnotes|date=February 2008}} <div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;"> <references /> </div> ==Bibliography== * Adkins, Roy, ''Trafalgar: The Biography of a Battle'', 2004, Little Brown, ISBN 0-316-72511-0. * Corbett, Julian S., ''The Trafalgar Campaign'', 1910, London. * Desbrière, Edouard, ''The Naval Campaign of 1805: Trafalgar'', 1907, Paris. English translation by Constance Eastwick, 1933. * Fernandez, Juan Cayuela, ''Trafalgar. Hombres y naves entre dos épocas'', 2004, Ariel (Barcelona) ISBN 84-344-6760-7 * Harbron, John D., ''Trafalgar and the Spanish Navy'', 1988, London, ISBN 0-85177-963-8. * Howarth, David, ''Trafalgar: The Nelson Touch'', 2003, Phoenix Press, ISBN 1-84212-717-9. * Huskisson, Thomas, ''Eyewitness to Trafalgar'', reprinted in 1985 as a limited edition of 1000; Ellisons' Editions, ISBN 0-946092-09-5 &mdash; the author was half-brother of [[William Huskisson]] * Lambert, Andrew, ''War at Sea in the Age of Sail'', Chapter 8, 2000, London, ISBN 1-55278-127-5 * Nicolson, Adam, ''Men of Honour: Trafalgar and the Making of the English Hero'' (U.S. title ''Seize the Fire: Heroism, Duty, and the Battle of Trafalgar''), 2005, HarperCollins, ISBN 0-00-719209-6. * Pocock, Tom, ''Horatio Nelson'', Chapter XII, 1987, London, ISBN 0-7126-6123-9 * Pope, Dudley, ''England Expects'' (U.S. title ''Decision at Trafalgar''), 1959, Weidenfeld and Nicolson. * Schom, Alan, ''Trafalgar: Countdown to Battle, 1803-1805'', 1990, New York, ISBN 0-689-12055-9. * Warner, Oliver, ''Trafalgar''. First published 1959 by Batsford - republished 1966 by Pan. *{{1911}} ==External links== {{commons|Battle of Trafalgar}} *[http://www.nelsonsnavy.co.uk/battle-of-trafalgar.html Nelson's Navy] *[http://www.bruzelius.info/Nautica/Naval_History/GB/Times(1805-11-07)a.html The London Gazette Extraordinary, November 6, 1805] original published dispatches, Naval History: Great Britain, EuroDocs: Primary Historical Documents From Western Europe, Brigham Young University Library, accessed [[July 27]], [[2006]] *[http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/0,5860,1504015,00.html Interactive guide:Battle of Trafalgar] educational presentation by [[Guardian Unlimited]] *[http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/dockyard/hmsvictory.php Visit HMS Victory at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard] *[http://www.hms-victory.com/ HMS ''Victory'' Royal Navy Web Site] *[http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/themes/histtexts/nelmem.html Nelson's Memorandum - battle plan - in the British Library] *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4627453.stm# BBC video (42 min.) of the re-enactment of the Battle of Trafalgar off Portsmouth on 28th June 2005] {{DEFAULTSORT:Trafalgar}} [[Category:Battles of the Napoleonic Wars]] [[Category:Naval battles of the Napoleonic Wars]] [[Category:Naval battles involving Spain]] [[Category:Naval battles involving France]] [[Category:Naval battles involving the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Conflicts in 1805]] [[Category:History of the Royal Navy]] [[Category:Napoleon's invasion of England]] [[Category:1805 in France]] {{Link FA|de}} [[bg:Битка при Трафалгар]] [[ca:Batalla de Trafalgar]] [[cs:Bitva u Trafalgaru]] [[da:Slaget ved Trafalgar]] [[de:Schlacht von Trafalgar]] [[el:Ναυμαχία του Τραφάλγκαρ]] [[es:Batalla de Trafalgar]] [[eo:Batalo de Trafalgar]] [[eu:Trafalgarko gudua]] [[fa:نبرد ترافالگار]] [[fr:Bataille de Trafalgar]] [[gl:Batalla de Trafalgar]] [[ko:트라팔가르 해전]] [[hi:ट्राफलगार का युद्ध]] [[hr:Bitka kod Trafalgara]] [[io:Trafalgar-navala batalio]] [[id:Pertempuran Trafalgar]] [[it:Battaglia di Trafalgar]] [[he:קרב טרפלגר]] [[hu:Trafalgari csata]] [[lb:Schluecht vun Trafalgar]] [[mr:ट्रफाल्गरची लढाई]] [[nl:Zeeslag bij Trafalgar]] [[ja:トラファルガーの海戦]] [[no:Slaget ved Trafalgar]] [[pl:Bitwa pod Trafalgarem]] [[pt:Batalha de Trafalgar]] [[ru:Трафальгарское сражение]] [[simple:Battle of Trafalgar]] [[sk:Bitka pri Trafalgare]] [[sr:Битка код Трафалгара]] [[fi:Trafalgarin taistelu]] [[sv:Slaget vid Trafalgar]] [[tr:Trafalgar Savaşı]] [[zh:特拉法加海戰]]