[78] Nelson's fleet was made up of ships of the line which had spent a considerable amount of sea time during the months of blockades of French ports, whilst the French fleet had generally been at anchor in port. Admiral Federico Gravina, the senior Spanish flag officer, escaped capture with the remnant of the fleet. The wind became contrary at this point, often shifting direction. [28] His squadron of seven ships comprised five frigates, a schooner, and a brig. [53], 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." He fought in 60 total battles, and only lost eight of them. The weather, however, suddenly turned calm following a week of gales. From this point on Napoleon will focus on land battles. On balance, the allied counter-attack achieved little. Battle of Trafalgar, (October 21, 1805), naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, which established British naval supremacy for more than 100 years; it was fought west of Cape Trafalgar, Spain, between Cádiz and the Strait of Gibraltar. The only way to end this pain is to reach a state of enlightenment – nirvana. [15], Villeneuve returned from the Caribbean to Europe, intending to break the blockade at Brest,[13] but after two of his Spanish ships were captured during the Battle of Cape Finisterre by a squadron under Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Calder, Villeneuve abandoned this plan and sailed back to Ferrol in northern Spain. [91] King Edward VII did support the Nelson Centenary Memorial Fund of the British and Foreign Sailors Society, which sold Trafalgar centenary souvenirs marked with the Royal cypher. A few of them were recaptured, some by the French and Spanish prisoners overcoming the small prize crews, others by ships sallying from Cádiz. The journey is the reward. This fleet, under the command of Vice-Admiral Calder, reached Cádiz on 15 September. The force watching the harbour was led by Captain Blackwood, commanding HMS Euryalus. The victory confirmed the naval supremacy Britain had established during the course of the eighteenth century, and was achieved in part through Nelson's departure from prevailing naval tactical orthodoxy. Villeneuve was captured along with his flagship Bucentaure. [34] In previous times, fleets had usually engaged in a mixed mêlée of chaotic one-on-one battles. [42], During the period of blockade off the coast of Spain in October, Nelson instructed his captains, over two dinners aboard Victory, on his plan for the approaching battle. Villeneuve ordered his fleet to form a single line heading north, and Nelson ordered his fleet to form two squadrons and attack Villeneuve’s line from the west, at right angles. The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (AugustâDecember 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (1803â1815). [79], The battle took place the day after the Battle of Ulm, and Napoleon did not hear about it for weeksâthe Grande Armée had left Boulogne to fight Britain's allies before they could combine their armies. But Dumanoir’s weak counterattack failed and was driven off. The main drawback of attacking head-on was that as the leading British ships approached, the Franco-Spanish Combined Fleet would be able to direct raking broadside fire at their bows, to which they would be unable to reply. 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