All members of the Hoglet community are required to read this, well because I said so. Yesterday October 21, 2005 was the Bicentenial of the greatest naval victory the world has ever know and certainly one that could arguably had the most far reaching consequences. All nations have heroes, true, but scarcely have they existed in such form. Nelsons efficacy can only be judged in light of his fidelity to his goals which were the continued existence of England as a nation, and glorious self aggrandisement, both of which he secured and epitomised even untill this day. There are no men, no women and no heroes whos footsteps can be traced to so many corners of the Earth in historical records, and can still be found in those places in the face of the memorials errected to their personage in those same places upon their departure from this place.
In his cabin on October 21, 1805 aboard the HMS Victory he penned his final prayer; <i><b>May the Great God whom I worship Grant to my Country and for the bennefit of Europe in genereal a great ang glorious victory, and may no misconduct in anyone tarnish it, and may humanity after victory be the predominant feature of the british fleet. For myself I commit my life to Him who made me and may his blessing light upon my endeavors for serving my country faithfully. To Him I resign myself and the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend. Amen Amen Amen.</b> </i>
The following is an account of that battle from a sailors perspective;
The Battle of Trafalgar
Lieutenant Paul Harris Nicholas, Royal Marines, HMS Belleisle
21 October 1805
I was scarcely sixteen when I embarked for the first time, in the Belleisle of eighty guns, and joined the fleet off Cadiz, under the command of Lord Nelson, in the early part of October, 1805. On the 19th of that month the appearance of a ship under a press of sail steering for the fleet and firing guns, excited our attention, and every glass was pointed towards the stranger in anticipation of the intelligence which the repeating ships soon announced "That the enemy was getting under way." The signal was instantly made for a general chase, and in a few minutes all sail was set by the delighted crew. Our advanced ships got sight of the combined fleet the next morning, and in the afternoon of the 20th they were visible from the deck. Every preparation was made for battle; and as our look-out squadron remained close to them during the night, the mind was kept in continual agitation by the firing of guns and rockets.
As the day dawned the horizon appeared covered with ships. The whole force of the enemy was discovered standing to the southward, distant about nine miles, between us and the coast near Trafalgar. I was awakened by the cheers of the crew and by their rushing up the hatchways to get a glimpse of the hostile fleet. The delight manifested exceeded anything I ever witnessed, surpassing even those gratulations when our native cliffs are descried after a long period of distant service. There was a light air from the north-west with a heavy swell. The signal to bear up and make all sail and to form the order of sailing in two divisions was thrown out. The Victory, Lord Nelson's ship, leading the weather line, and the Royal Sovereign, bearing the flag of Admiral Collingwood, the second in command, the lee line. At eight the enemy wore to the northward, and owing to the light wind, which prevailed during the day, they were prevented from forming with any precision, and presented the appearance of a double line convexing to leeward. At nine we were about six miles from them, with studdingsails set on both sides; and as our progress never exceeded a mile and a half an hour, we continued all the canvas we could spread until we gained our position alongside our opponent.
The officers now met at breakfast; and though each seemed to exult in the hope of a glorious termination to the contest so near at hand, a fearful presage was experienced that all would not again unite at that festive board. One was particularly impressed with a persuasion that he should not survive the day, nor could he divest himself of this presentiment, but made the necessary disposal of his property in the event of his death. The sound of the drum, however, soon put an end to our meditations, and after a hasty and, alas, a final farewell to some, we repaired to our respective posts. Our ship's station was far astern of our leader, but her superior sailing caused an interchange of places with the Tonnant. On our passing that ship the captains greeted each other on the honourable prospect in view. Captain Tyler exclaimed: "A glorious day for old England! We shall have one apiece before night!"
At half-past ten the Victory telegraphed "England expects every man will do his duty." As this emphatic injunction was communicated through the decks, it was received with enthusiastic cheers, and each bosom glowed with ardour at this appeal to individual valour. About half-past eleven the Royal Sovereign fired three guns, which had the intended effect of inducing the enemy to hoist their colours, and showed us the tricoloured flag intermixed with that of Spain.
The drum now repeated the summons, and the Captain sent for the officers commanding at their several quarters. "Gentlemen," said he, "I have only to say that I shall pass close under the stern of that ship; put in two round shot and then a grape, and give her that. Now go to your quarters, and mind not to fire until each gun will bear with effect." With this laconic instruction the gallant little man posted himself on the slide of the foremost carronade on the starboard side of the quarterdeck....
The determined and resolute countenance of the weather-beaten sailor, here and there brightened by a smile of exultation, was well suited to the terrific appearance which they exhibited. Some were stripped to the waist; some had bared their necks and arms; others had tied a handkerchief round their heads; and all seemed eagerly to await the order to engage. My two brother officers and myself were stationed, with about thirty men at small arms, on the poop, on the front of which I was now standing. The shot began to pass over us and gave us an intimation of what we should in a few minutes undergo. An awful silence prevailed in the ship, only interrupted by the commanding voice of Captain Hargood, "Steady! starboard a little! steady so!" echoed by the Master directing the quartermasters at the wheel. A shriek soon followed - a cry of agony was produced by the next shot - and the loss of the head of a poor recruit was the effect of the succeeding, and as we advanced, destruction rapidly increased. A severe contusion on the breast now prostrated our Captain, but he soon resumed his station. Those only who have been in a similar situation to the one I am attempting to describe can have a correct idea of such a scene. My eyes were horrorstruck at the bloody corpses around me, and my ears rang with the shrieks of the wounded and the moans of the dying.
At this moment, seeing that almost every one was lying down, I was half disposed to follow the example and several times stooped for the purpose, but - and I remember the impression well - a certain monitor seemed to whisper, "Stand up and do not shrink from your duty." Turning round, my much esteemed and gallant senior fixed my attention; the serenity of his countenance and the composure with which he paced the deck, drove more than half my terrors away; and joining him I became somewhat infused with his spirit, which cheered me on to act the part it became me. My experience is an instance of how much depends on the example of those in command when exposed to the fire of the enemy, more particularly in the trying situation in which we were placed for nearly thirty minutes from not having the power to retaliate.
It was just twelve o'clock when we reached their line. Our energies became roused, and the mind diverted from its appalling condition, by the order of "Stand to your guns!" which, as they successively came to bear were discharged into our opponents on either side; but as we passed close under the stern of Santa Ana, of 112 guns, our attention was more strictly called to that ship. Although until that moment we had not fired a shot, our sails and rigging bore evident proofs of the manner in which we had been treated; our mizzentopmast was shot away and the ensign had been thrice rehoisted; numbers lay dead upon the decks, and eleven wounded were already in the surgeon's care. The firing was now tremendous, and at intervals the dispersion of the smoke gave us a sight of the colours of our adversaries.
At this critical period, while steering for the stern of L'Indomptable (our masts and yards and sails hanging in the utmost confusion over our heads), which continued a most galling raking fire upon us, the Fougeux being on our starboard quarter, and the Spanish San Juste on our larboard bow, the Master earnestly addressed the Captain.
"Shall we go through, sir?" "Go through by _____" was his energetic reply. "There's your ship, sir, place me close alongside of her." Our opponent defeated this manoeuvre by bearing away in a parallel course with us within pistol shot.
About one o'clock the Fougeux ran us on board the starboard side; and we continued thus engaging until the latter dropped astern. Our mizzenmast soon went, and soon afterwards the maintopmast. A two decked ship, the Neptune, 80, then took a position on our bow, and a 74, the Achille, on our quarter. At two o'clock the mainmast fell over the larboard side. I was at the time under the break of the poop aiding in running a carronade, when a cry of "Stand clear there! here it comes!" made me look up, and at that instant the mainmast fell over the bulwarks just above me. This ponderous mass made the ship's whole frame shake, and had it taken a central direction it would have gone through the poop and added many to our list of sufferers. At half-past two our foremast was shot away close to the deck. In this unmanageable state we were but seldom capable of annoying our antagonists, while they had the power of choosing their distance, and every shot from them did considerable execution. We had suffered severely as must be supposed; and those on the poop were now ordered to assist at the quarter deck guns, where we continued till the action ceased. Until half-past three we remained in this harassing situation. The only means at all in our power of bringing our battery towards the enemy, was to use the sweeps out of the gunroom ports; to these we had recourse, but without effect, for even in ships under perfect command they prove almost useless, and we lay a mere hulk covered in wreck and rolling in the swell.
At this hour a three-decked ship was seen apparently steering towards us; it can easily be imagined with what anxiety every eye turned towards this formidable object, which would either relieve us from our unwelcome neighbours or render our situation desperate. We had scarcely seen the British colours since one o'clock, and it is impossible to express our emotion as the alteration of the stranger's course displayed the white ensign to our sight. We did not, however, continue much longer in this dilemma, for soon the Swiftsure came nobly to our relief. Everyone eagerly looked towards our approaching friend, who came speedily on, and when within hail manned the rigging, cheered, and then boldly steered for the ship which had so long annoyed us. Shortly after the Polyphemus took off the fire from the Neptune on our bow. It was near four o'clock when we ceased firing, but the action continued in the body of the fleet about two miles to windward....
About five o'clock the officers assembled in the captain's cabin to take some refreshment. The parching effects of the smoke made this a welcome summons, although some of us had been fortunate in relieving our thirst by plundering the captain's grapes which hung round his cabin; still four hours' exertion of body with the energies incessantly employed, occasioned a lassitude, both corporeally and mentally, from which the victorious termination now so near at hand, could not arouse us; moreover there sat a melancholy on the brows of some who mourned the messmates who had shared their perils and their vicissitudes for many years. Then the merits of the departed heroes were repeated with a sigh, but their errors sunk with them into the deep.
The Bijou, 1829
<img src="http://www.nelsonsnavy.co.uk/battleoftraf.gif" border=0>
Aftermath
The gloss of the victory was taken off for the British ships with the news of Nelsons death. It is hard now to appreciate the effect of this news on the ships crews and on the nation as a whole, although Nelson is still regarded as a national hero in Britain, in 1805 he was THE national hero, and to lose him at the moment of his greatest victory was a bitter blow.
Nelson himself would have been bitter had he known the treatment his beloved Lady Hamilton and his daughter would get from a grateful nation. They were almost completely ignored. Instead the country decided to make Nelson's brother, William, an earl, and voted him £99,000 with an annual pension of £5,000 a year. Frances, still formally Nelson's wife, was granted £2,000 a year. Emma and Horatia got nothing. Without the pension from a grateful nation that Nelson had foreseen for her, and always famous for her extravagance, Emma eventually sank into poverty, even spending some time in prison for debt. After her release she went to live with Horatia in Calais and died there in January 1815.
Of the Combined Fleet, Bucentaure, Algeciras, Swiftsure, Intrepide, Aigle, Berwick, Achille, Redoubtable, Fougueux ( French), Santissima Trinidad, Santa Anna, Argonauta, Bahama, San Augustino, San Ildefonso, San Juan de Nepomuceno, and Monarca ( Spanish) were taken by the British. Redoubtable sank, Achille blew up, San Augustino and Intrepide burned, the British scuttled Santissima Trinidad and Argonauta, and in the gale that followed the battle Monarca, Fougueux, Aigle, and Berwick were wrecked.
On the 23rd of October a sortie by French Commodore Julien Cosmao from Cadiz with Pluton, Indomptable, Neptuno, Rayo, and San Francisco de Asis attempted to recapture some of the British prizes. Santa Anna and Algeciras were recovered, but Neptuno, Indomptable, and San Francisco de Asis were wrecked and Rayo was taken by the Donegal and then wrecked.
On the 3rd of November, Admiral Strachan, with Caesar 80, Hero 74, Courageux 74, Namur 74, and four frigates defeated and captured the force of four French ships which had escaped at Trafalgar under Dumanoir: Formidable 80, Duguay-Trouin 74, Mont Blanc 74, and Scipion 74. All four are taken into the Royal Navy, with Formidable renamed Brave, Duguay-Trouin renamed Implacable, and the other two keeping their names. The Victory was towed into Gibraltar her masts and sails shot to pieces. The casualties were high, as might be expected in such a close fought action. The British lost 449 men killed and 1241 wounded (some of whom subsequently died), the French and Spanish fleets lost 4408 men killed and 2545 wounded, ( figures are from Lewis 'A Social History of the Navy').
The ultimate outcome of the victory was to secure the supremacy of the British navy on the high seas for the next hundred years, and the end to any threat of invasion from France. It lead Napoleon to his Continental strategy, and possibly to his disastrous campaign against the Russians in 1812.
Battle of Trafalgar Casualty List
Ship Guns Commander Killed/Wounded
Victory 100 Capt. Thomas Masterman Hardy 57/102
Temeraire 98 Capt. Eliab Harvey 47/76
Neptune 98 Capt Thomas Francis Freemantle 10/34
Leviathan 74 Capt Henry William Bayntun 4/22
Britannia 100 Capt Charles Bullen 10/42
Conquerer 74 Capt Israel Pellew 3/9
Africa 64 Capt Henry Digby 18/44
Agamemnon 64 Capt Sir Edward Berry 2/8
Ajax 74 Lieut John Pilford 2/9
Orion 74 Capt Edward Codrington 1/23
Minotaur 74 Capt Charles John Moore Mansfield 3/22
Spartiate 74 Capt Sir Francis Laforey 3/20
Royal Sovereign 100 Capt Edward Rotheram 47/94
Belleisle 74 Capt William Hargood 33/93
Mars 74 Capt George Duff 29/69
Tonnant 80 Capt Charles Tyler 26/50
Bellerophon 74 Capt John Cooke 27/123
Colossus 74 Capt James Nichol Morris 46/160
Achille 74 Capt Richard King 13/59
Dreadnought 98 Capt John Conn 7/26
Polyphemus 64 Capt Robert Redmill 2/4
Revenge 74 Capt Robert Moorsom 28/51
Swiftsure 74 Capt William Gordon Rutherford 9/8
Defiance 74 Capt Philip Charles Durham 17/53
Thunderer 74 Lieut John Stockham 4/12
Defence 74 Capt George Hope 7/29
Prince 98 Capt Richard Grindall
Euryalis 36 Capt Hon Henry Blackwood
Naiad 38 Capt Thomas Dundas
Phoebe 36 Capt Hon Thomas Bladen Capell
Sirius 36 Capt William Prowse
Pickle 10 Lieut John Richards La Penotiere
Entreprenante 8 Lieut Robert Benjamin Young
The following is an account from a Marine aboard the HMS Victory. I will leave you with this.................
October 21st 1805, Admiral Nelson appeared early on the quarterdeck of HMS VICTORY, he had left his sword behind in his cabin, his dress was his usual uniform, not his full dress uniform but his old undress coat, with epaulettes and a minimum of gold braid; the replicas of his orders stitched on in silver and gold wire, for he was not wearing the full stars in silver and gilt and enamel as some paintings depicting the battle suggest. However his was still a discernible target, but then again so was any Admiral on deck, British, French, or Spanish.
There was talk among Nelsons officers about him wearing his decorations, Dr Beatty the surgeon was particularly worried, but was dissuaded by Dr Scott the chaplain from mentioning them, the other Dr Scott who was Nelson's secretary, said, " I would not be the man to mention such a matter to him"
It seems, however, that someone did, probably Captain Hardy, but he received the brusque reply that it was no time to be changing coats. Captain Blackwood was also concerned about his Admirals safety, and suggested that Nelson should transfer to EURYALUS, as frigates stayed out of the way when battleships closed, Reasonably enough Nelson refused, although he did lend an ear to Blackwoods other suggestion that some other ship rather than the VICTORY should lead the van. Indeed he eventually gave the order to Captain Harvey of TEMERAIRE to take the lead. However when Harvey did succeed in ranging his ship up to VICTORY'S quarter, a proud and determined Admiral hailed him with the words "I'll thank you Captain Harvey to keep to your proper station, which is astern of Victory".
At about eleven o'clock Nelson went down to his cabin for the last time, and added to the already written entry in his private diary his famous prayer,
May the Great God, whom I worship, grant to my country, and for the benefit of Europe in general, a great and glorious Victory; and may no misconduct in anyone tarnish it; and may humanity after Victory be the predominant feature in the British Fleet. For myself, individually, I commit my life to him who made me, and may his blessing light upon my endeavours for serving my Country faithfully. To him I resign myself, and the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend. Amen. Amen. Amen.
Half an hour later Nelson was back on deck, turning to Lieutenant Pasco (Signals Officer) he said " Mr Pasco I want to say to the Fleet, England confides that every man will do his duty." you must be quick, for I have one more signal to add, which is to close for action'. Pasco replied " If your Lordship will permit me to substitute "Expects" for "Confides" the signal will be completed sooner, because the word Expects is in the signal book but the word Confides must be spelt, Nelson seemed satisfied and said "That will do, Pasco; make it directly"
The thirty two coloured flags climbed VICTORY'S halyards, bearing the most famous signal in naval history, after a few minutes the flags came down and were replaced with a white flag with a blue cross, and a red, white and blue lateral tricolour;
this was "Close for Action" these flags stayed aloft till they were shot away during the forthcoming battle.
It was Admiral Collingwood's ROYAL SOVEREIGN that was first to hit the enemy line, shots were now being fired at VICTORY, within minutes the van of the British ships was enveloped in smoke and flame and the roar of gunfire. One of the first casualties in VICTORY was Nelsons secretary. a cannon ball almost cut him in two as he stood on the quarter deck talking to Captain Hardy..... Captain Adair of the Marines immediately ordered up a sailor to remove the bloody corpse.
VICTORY was to suffer more dead than any other British ship that day.
Walking the quarter deck together, for there was not much else to do at that stage, Nelson and Hardy had both thought the other wounded, they had paused and looked anxiously at each other, but the only damage was Hardy's shoe buckle, shot away by a shot splinter.
"This is too warm work to last long" Nelson said as they resumed their steady pacing.
At about quarter past one Hardy turned on his heel and then realized that a familiar figure was no longer beside him. The Admiral was on his knees on the deck supporting his weight for a moment with the fingers of his left hand. Then his arm buckled and he fell on his side, his frock coat being soiled with the blood that was still on the deck from Scotts fatal wound. Sergeant Secker of the Marines and two of his men rushed across to lift him up.
"They have done for me at last, gasped Nelson, "I hope not said Hardy.' "Yes said Nelson my backbone is shot through"
Three Marines carried the Admiral below deck to the cockpit, covering his face with a handkerchief in the hope that his men would not see that he had been wounded.
In the cockpit Nelson was undressed and laid on a bed and covered with a sheet, Mr Burke the purser, had taken over from the Marines supported the Admirals shoulders so that he sat almost half upright, the position which seemed to give him the least pain. Forty others, officers and men, dying and wounded, were also in the cockpit.
All around were the sounds of battle, the roar and convulsions of VICTORYS broadside, and the occasional cheer as another French ship struck her colours. Nelson, in conditions nearly intolerable for a dying man, afflicted by pain and plagued with thirst and still conscious of his responsibilities, wished that he had stayed on deck. At least there he would have known what was going on.
At about half past two Hardy at last arrived, the two men shook hands affectionately, and Nelson said "Well, Hardy, how goes the battle? How goes the day with us? Hardy replied "Very well my Lord, we have got twelve or fourteen of the enemy's ships in our possession. Nelson replied that he hoped that none of the British ships had struck their colours, Hardy assured him that they had not.
I am a dead man, Hardy, i am going fast, it will be all over with me soon, pray let my dear Lady Hamilton have my hair, and all other things belonging to me.
Captain Hardy shook the Admirals hand and returned on deck, Nelson turned to the surgeon and said that he had no feeling in his limbs, God be praised that i have done my duty he said.
Hardy returned to the cockpit to congratulate Nelson on his brilliant victory which he said was complete, though he did not know how many of the enemy were captured, he thought at least fourteen to fifteen ships had surrendered.
"Take care of my dear Lady Hamilton, kiss me Hardy", the Captain knelt and kissed his Admirals cheek, "Thank God that I have done my duty.
Captain Hardy stood for a minute or two in contemplation: he then knelt down and kissed the Admirals forehead.
His Lordship said: "Who is that". The Captain said "It is Hardy" to which the Admiral replied "God Bless you Hardy"
The Midshipman of the watch later entered up in pencil the log of VICTORY, "Partial firing continued until 4:30, when a victory having been reported to the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Nelson., and Commander in Chief, he died of his wound.
Only when darkness fell upon a scene of unexampled devastation and defeat did the exultant but weary victors, on looking toward the flagship, notice with foreboding that there were no Admiral's lights shining on board VICTORY.
"Nearly one third of the Corps was present at Lord Nelson's victory overthe combined fleets at Trafalgar, the most decisive sea fight in British History. Ninety two officers and over 3,600 NCOs and men of the Royal Marines at their traditional stations on the upper decks of the British ships, bore a brave and important part in the success of the day. The losses were particularly heavy on board the leading ships; in Lord Nelson's flag ship, the VICTORY, all four Royal Marine officers and over fifty men of the Royal Marine Detachment were killed or wounded. The total Royal Marine casualties during the battle of Trafalgar were 5 officers and 121 men killed or died of wounds, and 12 officers and 204 men wounded.
Nelsons Squadron. Victory (flag). Temeraire. Euryalus. Neptune. Leviathan. Conqueror. Britannia (flag). Ajax. Orion.
Agamemnon. Minotaur. Spartiate. Prince. Africa.
Collingwoods Squadron Royal Sovereign (flag). Belleisle. Mars. Tonnant. Bellerophon. Colossus. Defiance. Polyphemus.
Achille. Revenge. Dreadnought. Swiftsure. Thunderer. Defence.....28 Ships of the Line.
French and Spanish Ships Neptuno.Scipion. Intrepide. Formidable (flag). Mont Blanc. Duquay Trouin. Rayo. San Francisco de Asis. San Augustin. Heros. Santissima Trinidad.(flag). Bucentaure (flag). Redoutable. San Justo. Neptune. San Leandro.
Indomptable. Sata Ana (flag). Fougueux. Monarca. Pluton. Algeciras (flag). Bahama. Aigle. Swiftsure. Montanez. Argonaute.
San iidefonso. Argonauta. Achille. Principe de Asturias (flag). Berwick. San Juan de Nepomuceno.....33 Ships.
Heres to you Admiral.
"By this time tomorrow I shall have gained either a peerage or Westminster Abbey !" Nelson the Immortal Memory
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