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Battle of Trafalgar Archive

After Trafalgar: Sir Richard Strachan’s Action 11.03.1805

If anything could have marred Britain’s joy at the outcome of the Battle of Trafalgar it was the escape of four French ships of the line. Part of the van of the Combined Fleets of France and Spain, they were well ahead of the point where HMS Victory broke the enemy line. Spotted late in [...]
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Dr. Beatty’s Account of the Death of Nelson

It was one of the greatest sea battles in British history and gave birth to a legend. Off the coast of Spain’s Cape Trafalgar Peninsula, the British Fleet, led by Lord Horatio Nelson, took on a combined French and Spanish force to determine who would be the master of the waves. England’s very existence was [...]
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A Detailed Look at Nelson’s Innovative Strategy at Trafalgar

Much is made of the innovative tactics Nelson used at the Battle of Trafalgar, but it’s surprisingly difficult to find a single article explaining just why those tactics were considered so innovative. I couldn’t find one, despite hours of searching, so I’ve done something I rarely do: I’ve edited three different articles together to highlight [...]
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Overview of the Battle of Trafalgar

Entire books have been written about the Battle of Trafalgar, and many encyclopedia entries and articles as well. Even people without a strong interest in the Age of Sail or the Napoleonic Era (or, you know, both) probably know a bit about the battle. This article by the brilliant Andrew Lambert explains the battle in [...]
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A Foremast Jack’s Account of Trafalgar

As previously discussed, the Battle of Trafalgar was a very well-documented affair. However, most if not all of the eyewitness accounts we have come to us from officers rather than members of the lower decks. This letter, written by a sailmaker on the HMS Temeraire, is a rare example of the foremast jack’s perspective on [...]
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Nelson’s Trafalgar Memorandum

In this memorandum, Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson explains to his captains his plans for engaging the allied French and Spanish fleet. The memorandum contains Nelson’s fullest exposition of his conception of naval tactics and formed the basis of his tactics for the Battle of Trafalgar. (Secret.) Victory, off Cadiz, 9th October, 1805. Memorandum. Thinking it almost [...]
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A Real-Time Account of Trafalgar From Behind French Lines

When it comes to the Battle of Trafalgar, there is certainly no shortage of first-hand accounts. It was a huge battle fought by tens of thousands of sailors, many of whom wrote of the experience. The Helmsman’s Log from the Mont Blanc is noteworthy first because it is the first real-time account from behind French [...]
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Fight The Battle of Trafalgar From The Comfort of Home!

UK’s Channel 4 Education and developer Preloaded have launched a new online Flash game that re-creates the events leading up to the Battle of Trafalgar.
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History of the HMS Belleisle (1795 – 1814)

The Belleisle was originally the French Formidable which was captured in 1795, and renamed, since there was already a Formidable in the British Navy. In 1803 HMS Belleisle joined Nelson’s fleet in the Mediterranean where she served for the next two years in the blockade of Toulon, and took part in the chase of Villeneuve’s [...]
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French Perspective on the Battle of Trafalgar

During the great battle of Trafalgar, fought on October 21, 1805, the French 74 gun ship of the line Redoutable engaged the British 100 gun warships Victory and Temeraire, nearly capturing Nelson’s own flagship (HMS Victory) before being beaten by the combined firepower of the British ships. The Redoutable’s stout performance during the battle resulted [...]
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All To Seek: Cross-Reference

Subjects Commonly Addressed