Page 55 - All About History - Issue 28-15

THE BATTLE OF

TRAFALGAR

OFF THE COAST OF TRAFALGAR,
SOUTH-WEST SPAIN 21 OCTOBER 1805

n 1805, Britain was on the brink of invasion by country time and again, quite literally. The admiral
the emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte. The lost his arm in 1797 while attempting to take Santa
Grande Armée, which was gathered in north Cruz de Tenerife, and also lost his right eye during
France, only needed a fleet of ships to carry it fighting there.
I across the English Channel and Great Britain As the British force approached the south coast
would surely fall. That fleet, under the command of Spain, it anchored further out to sea to conceal its
of Admiral Villeneuve, had given Nelson the chase presence from the Combined Fleet, which was still
across the Atlantic Ocean and back as it gathered in the harbour. Small frigates were posted closer to
ships for the intended invasion. Known as the land to monitor the coast for any movement of the
Combined Fleet of Spanish and French ships, it enemy along the route around the peninsula. At all
numbered more than enough vessels to ferry the costs, Nelson wanted to prevent Villeneuve from
French army securely to England. But first it had to escaping either north towards the Bay of Biscay and
reach France to collect them. from there to France, or east towards the Gibraltar
The British Royal Navy was tasked with locating Strait and from there to the Mediterranean.
and intercepting the Combined Fleet to stop any The French admiral, meanwhile, was being
chance of it reaching the Grande Armée. Spies in put under pressure from his emperor back home.
France and Spain had provided ample intelligence His delay in leaving Spain and sailing for France
regarding Napoleon’s plan, as well as the movements had caused unease among his staff, and outright
of the allied fleet. In September 1805, Villeneuve’s resentment from Napoleon, who called him a
ships sat in Cádiz harbour, with Nelson’s fleet coward. Worse, Villeneuve had been fed false
waiting more than 50 miles offshore. A line of signal information about the British fleet and was still
ships monitored Cádiz, eagerly waiting for Villeneuve unaware that Nelson had arrived off the coast of
to make a move. Spain. Had the Frenchman known that the foremost
Already a hero back home and among his peers, admiral of the time was tracking his fleet, he may
Nelson had served more than 34 years in the Royal well have avoided the catastrophe he was about to
Navy and had put his body on the line for king and sail right into.
Carnage at sea
Though several French and Spanish
ships were lost and taken in the battle,
not one British ship surrendered at
Trafalgar. The French ship Redoubtable
became completely surrounded and
lost all of her masts during the fighting,
eventually forcing the crew to surrender.

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