Battle of Trafalgar

Lord Viscount Horatio Nelson

Nelsons Coat of Arms

Admiral Villeneuve

Colin Schunker
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Call to Arms!

ENGLAND

EXPECTS

THAT

EVERY

MAN

WILL

DO

HIS

Y
2

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Other Signals
TELEGRAPH FLAG ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY

(Hoisted with the earlier signal)

Note: This signal was not hoisted until after Nelsons Signal was taken down.

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Nelsons Legacy

Britannia Rules the Waves!

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Nelsons Legacy

Memorials to Lord Nelson

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Nelsons True Legacy!

More Memorials to Lord Nelson

The Battle of Trafalgar

Historical Overview
Nearly 200 years after it was fought, the battle of Trafalgar is still regarded as one of historys most decisive naval battles. In the early summer of 1805 Napoleon Bonaparte decided to invade England.

The British knew that the only way to stop Napoleons plan was by defeating the French in a naval battle. The French had teamed up with the Spanish fleet to increase their chances of defeating the British.

The Battle of Trafalgar

Historical Overview
Admiral Nelson, on board HMS Victory was in command of the British fleet. His French counterpart Vice Admiral Pierre de Villeneuve, commanded the FrancoSpanish fleet. The British had blockaded the French and Spanish ports effectively immobilizing the French and Spanish fleets Napoleon knew that to invade England meant controlling the seas and gave orders for the fleets in Brest, Toulon and Ferrol to break out After an aborted attempt Villeneuve managed to evade Nelson and sailed for the West Indies

The Battle of Trafalgar

The British Blockade

French British

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Bolougne Brest Rochefort Toulon

Ferrol

Cadiz

British Blockading Fleet

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The Chase

ATLANTIC OCEAN
NORTH AMERICA
Bermuda Villeneuve Arrives Martinique 16th May Departs 10th June Martinique Villeneuve Villeneuve escapes Toulon Villeneuve Departs Cadiz 30th March EUROPE th April for the West 9 Toulon Ferrol Indies Azores Cadiz Trafalgar Nelson Departs Cadiz on 10th Canary Islands Nelson sets off in May in pursuit of Villeneuve pursuit - mistakenly Nelson Arrives Martinique 4th June towards Egypt. Departs 13th June AFRICA Cape Verde

SOUTH AMERICA

Nelson

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The Final Blockade

Cape St. Vincent

Combined French & Spanish Fleets

Nelson arrived off Cadiz to join Collingwood

Communication chain of Ships

The Frigates

Nelsons frigates watched while he cruised off shore in an attempt to draw the Combined Fleet

Cadiz Cape Trafalgar

Straits of Gibraltar

Main body of Nelsons Fleet

In response to a threat from landward Napoleon ordered Villeneuve to sail into the Mediterranean to support operations
The impending battle was looming

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Battle Plan and Tactics

Opposing fleets usually sailed into battle in line ahead in two parallel lines. Each ship would then take on one of the opposing ships. Broadsides would be fired between the combatants. The battle was won or lost dependent on the skill of the gunners or when they struck their colors or the opposing fleet just sailed away from the battle.

These tactics seldom resulted in a decisive victory for either side although casualties were high.
Nelson broke from tradition and broke his fleet into three groups.

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Nelsons Touch
Nelson expected to be outnumbered 46 ships to 40 Nelson summonsed his captains and outlined his plan; they were pleased with the innovative plan The plan was to divide the British fleet into three separate lines Two major lines of 16 ships each An advanced squadron of eight The two 16 ship units were to divide the enemy line in half, thus concentrating 32 British versus 23 enemy ships.

The other 8 British ships were to engage in a separate battle with the other half of the enemy line One of the two 16 ship units attacked sections of the enemy line the other would attack the enemy at right angles, break through the lines and cut off retreat Dangerous tacticsbut they paid off These tactics were to change the course of naval warfare as it was known then

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Breaking The Line

Above: British ship crosses battle line of Franco-Spanish fleet.

Spics Limey Bastards

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Tactics
Traditional Broadside Tactics Nelsons Raking Tactics

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A Typical Ship of the Line

Above:: Example of a triple deck Ship of the Line.

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A Typical Ship of the Line

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A Typical Ship of the Line

HMS VICTORY REDOUTABLE

HMS VICTORY Type: 'First rate' ship-of-the-line. The British naval term "first rate" applied to a ship with at least 100 guns. Crew: 820

LE REDOUTABLE Type: 'Third rate', with 74 guns. Smaller than the Victory, her name translates as "formidable, tremendous - with an element of fear". Crew: 634

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Canon Used at Trafalgar

A typical 32 pounder fired a shot just under 6 in diameter and with a full charge of 10 lb 11oz could make an extreme range of 2000 yds A carronade on the other hand was short barreled with limited range.

Being lighter it was mounted on a higher deck

Victorys 2x68 pounder carronades were mounted on the focsle and unleashed a storm of grapeshot into the French
flagship Ammunition consisted of roundshot canister grapeshot, bar shot and chain shot, each for a particular purpose

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Firepower
Using 32,24,18,12 pound canons and 68 pound smashers capable of firing both shot and grape shot which inflicted serious injuries and considerable damage to ships and men on both sides An 18 pound shot at 30 yards would penetrate 4xoak planks 32.5 thick showering splinters up to 30 yards A 32 pounder fired with grape shot from 300 yards could penetrate 4 of oak

Muskets with a range of 200yds were used by both opposing forces mainly by the Marines which inflicted heavy casualties from sharp shooters strategically positioned in the rigging
Cutlass, tomahawks pikes, and pistols (range 30 yds) were the main weapon used by boarding parties Prepare to repel boarders meant fierce and heavy hand-to-hand fighting which often resulted in horrendous wounds more often than not resulting in a slow agonizing death

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The Commanders

Above: Lord Nelson

Above: Admiral Pierre Villeneuve

Above: Admiral Collingwood

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Prelude to Battle
The Spanish fleet was demoralized at being blockaded for such a long period inactivity had taken its toll The Combined fleet sailed with 1700 sick men on board The Spanish ships were manned mostly by soldiers and beggars pressed ganged from the slums of Cadiz Spanish gunners had never fired from a rolling ship Spanish Captains resented being under the command of a French Admiral Villeneuve did not have the confidence of Napoleon and was to be replaced by Rosily The British Jack Tars were seasoned campaigners They were aggressive fighting men by instinct Ruled by strict discipline from autocratic Captains they were magnificent sailors and excellent gunners Out numbered and out gunned they were spoiling for a fight. This signal gave them the resolve The French and Spanish are out at last, they outnumber us in ships and guns and men: we are on the eve of the greatest sea fight in history."

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The Opposing Fleets

1200hrs 21st October, 1805
ATLANTIC OCEAN

C. Trafalgar

French & Spanish Line

Collingwood's Column
Nelson's Column

The Two Columns

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The Opposing Fleets

1200hrs 21st October, 1805

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The Commencement of Battle

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The Battle
There was an impending sense of doom as Nelson believed he would not survive the battle He wrote his Will in anticipation of his death As the Combined Fleet sailed slowly in light winds and although Villeneuve guessed what form Nelsons attack would take he failed to specify any defensive tactics to his captains The Combined Fleet had the Neptuno in the rear and the San Juan de Nepomuceno in the van Villeneuve on the Bucentaure was signaled by the Hermione that the British fleet was in sight and instead of continuing to Gibraltar decided to return to Cadiz The Combined Fleet had to reform the line of battle in the opposite direction The first shot was fired at noon by the Fougueux at the Royal Sovereign who then returned fire 15 minutes later raking the Santa Anna from stem to stern inflicting heavy casualties Nelson in freshly laundered uniform with ribbons and medals then ordered the famous message ENGLAND EXPECTS THAT EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY

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The Battle
1200hrs 21st October, 1805
Africa Neptuno

Scipion
Intrepide Formidable

Frigates

Duguay - Trouin Mont-Blanc Rayo San Francisco de Asis

Weather Column Admiral Nelson

San Augustin Heros Santissima Trinidad

Bucentaure Redoubtable San Justo Santa Anna Fouguex Pluton Monarca Neptune San Leandro Indompable

Lee Column Admiral Collingwood

Algersiras Bahama Aigle Swiftsure Argonaughte San Ildefonso Achille Principe de Asturias San Juan Nepomuceno Berwick Montanes

Argonaugta

Frogs Spics Limey Bastards

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Close Quarter Engagement

1300 hrs 21st October, 1805
San Francisco de Asis

Santissma Trinidad

Victory Redoutable Temeraraire Fougueux

ATLANTIC OCEAN
Bucentaure

C. Trafalgar Royal Sovereign

Principe de Asturias

Pluton

Frogs Spics Limey Bastards

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Battle of Trafalgar
1245hrs 21st October, 1805

Close Action Around 1300hrs

Bucentaure

Neptune (BR)

Neptune (FR)

Victory

Redoubtable Temeraire

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Battle of Trafalgar
1300hrs 21st October, 1805
Santissma Trinidad

Close Action Around 1330hrs

Bucentaure
Neptune (BR)

Frogs Spics Limey Bastards

Victory Redoubtable

Neptune (FR)

Temeraire
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The Final Blow

The battle see sawed all day with individual skirmishes taking place

The dying wind and with masts shot away engagement was determined by who drifted by
Much bravery was noted on that day The Intrepide was singled out by the British captains for her bravery in the face of overwhelming odds

Finally the British ships gained the upper hand with the Combined fleet either striking their colors or sailing away Meanwhile the surgeons were doing their best for Nelson Captain Hardy reported to Nelson that the battle was won Those immortal words were spoken by Nelson Thank God I have done my duty He succumbed to his wounds and died at 1630

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Fatalities and Casualties

The speed at which the Royal Navy gun crews loaded and fired was much higher than the Combined fleet a factor in higher casualty figures for the enemy

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Fatalities and Casualties

The British lost 449 men killed with 1249 wounded some of whom subsequently died; this translated to just over 25% or 3 wounded for every one killed The Combined Fleet lost 4408 men killed and 2545 wounded or 55%;for every four wounded 5 were killed For those days it was a very high kill rate

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The Fleets
British
British Ships (Guns) Victory (100) Tmraire ( 98 ) Neptune (98) Conqueror (74) Leviathan (74) Britannia (100) Ajax (74) Orion (74) Agamemnon (64) Minotaur (74) Spartiate (74) Africa (64) Royal Sovereign (100) Belleisle (74) Tonnant (80) Mars (74) Bellerophon (74) Colossus (74) Achilles (74) Revenge (74) Defiance (74) Swiftsure (74) Thunderer (74) Defense (74) Dreadnought (98) Polythemus (64) Prince (98)

French
French Ships (Guns) Scipion (74) Formidable (80) Duguay-Trouin (74) Mont-Blanc (74) Intrpide ( 74 ) Indomptable (80) Fougueux (74) Pluton (74) Hros ( 74 ) Bucentaure (80) Neptune (80) Redoubtable (74) Aigle (74) Algsiras ( 74 ) Swift-sure (74) Argonaute (74) Achille (74) Berwick (74)

Spanish
Spanish Ships (Guns) Neptuno (80) Rayo (100) San Francisco de Asis (74) San Augustin (74) Santissima Trinidad (136) San Leandro (64) San Justo (74) Santa Ana (120) Monarca (74) Bahama (74) Montans ( 74 ) Argonauta (80) San Ildefonso (74) Principe de Asturias (118) San Juan Nepomuceno (74)

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The Victor of Trafalgar

Nelson lost his life in Trafalgar but he won a tremendous victory for England. It is one of historys turning points which led to British domination of the seas for arguably over 150 years. The HMS Victory remains a commissioned RN vessel to this day. Trafalgar Day is celebrated each year with great pomp and ceremony

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Battle of Trafalgar
Thankyou for your attention

I will attempt to answer any Questions??

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