20th October 1805
On the 20th of October 1805 twenty-seven British ships of the line defeated a combined French and Spanish Fleet of thirty-three ships of the line commanded by the French Admiral Pierre Villeneuve. The Franco-Spanish fleet lost twenty-two vessels without a single English ship being lost. The battle occurred off the Spanish coast west off Cape Trafalgar. Lord Nelson became a national hero, with the victory at Trafalgar, and a statue was constructed in his honour. However the country recieved a bitter blow with the announcement of his death.
With the announcement of Nelsons death, Collingwood was left to organise the crippled fleet and return the mariners safely home. Being close to the enemy's shores they were vulnerable to attack and a storm that was to last three days was on the way!
With the announcement of Nelsons death, Collingwood was left to organise the crippled fleet and return the mariners safely home. Being close to the enemy's shores they were vulnerable to attack and a storm that was to last three days was on the way!
This picture to the left is an image by Richard Grenville (not the famous Englishman!). It captures the opening seconds when Collingwood's flag ship HMS Royal Sovereign (centre) breaks the line and broadsides on the nearby Spanish ship Santa Anna. The Spanish fleet quickly returned fire and the ships were locked in battle for over five hours. The ship to the right HMS Belleisle entered behind Royal Sovereign and was heavily bombarded by all enemy ships that were in range of her. She lost fifty-plus of her crew before she could engage with the enemy and return fire.
On the 20th of October 1805 Admiral Pierre Villeneuve ordered his fleet to set sail to Gibraltar where he would intercept English Battleships docked there. Four days before this Villeneuve received word from Napoleon to head for Naples, but Villeneuve was reluctant to leave and so decided to stay. However on the 18th October he changed his mind and decided to set sail straight away. He sudden change in mind was due to the fact that he had received notice that he was to be replaced by Vice-Admiral François Rosily. Desperate not to loose his honour he abruptly ordered the fleet to set sail and so to leave Cadiz before his successor could reach him. The fact that British ships were anchored in Gibraltar became the pretext for him to leave with little notice.
Unfortunately For Villeneuve The weather became calm and windless preventing his fleet to leave with any speed. This made his fleet very disorganised with the 'bad' weather and uncertainty amongst the Captains that they were going, staying. This gave the British in Gibraltar a chance to leave and meet with the rest of Nelsons fleet.
The entire fleet was spotted by the Franco-Spanish at 11am on the 20th of October. War was inevitable.
Unfortunately For Villeneuve The weather became calm and windless preventing his fleet to leave with any speed. This made his fleet very disorganised with the 'bad' weather and uncertainty amongst the Captains that they were going, staying. This gave the British in Gibraltar a chance to leave and meet with the rest of Nelsons fleet.
The entire fleet was spotted by the Franco-Spanish at 11am on the 20th of October. War was inevitable.