Naval Battles - Depth - Trafalgar Flashcards
Explain the relevance of the Treaty of Amiens
1803
France violate the Treaty of Amiens
Begin to invade parts of the Mediterranean
Britain declare war
Threat of invasion looms over Britain due to coastal militarisation
Britain scared as they do not have the same land power
Explain the relevance of British blockades
Continental system blocked off
Blocks Mediterranean and French coasts that invasions could come from
Explain the Chase of Villeneuve
Nelson and Villeneuve have a plan of losing Nelson and leading him on a chase.
They meant to lose him in the Caribbean and return to the North Atlantic so that he could destroy the british Home Seas fleet and allow Napoleon;s invasion force at Boulonge to cross the Channel.
This fails as the British ships were faster due to the copper lining the bottom of the ships.
What happens September 1805
Napoleon invades Austria and plans to invade Mediterranean
Admiralty assembled a special fleet off Cadiz and Nelson was appointed to command it
In September, he spent 2 days inviting the captains in to share his battle plan
Coined the ‘Nelson Touch’ with excited captains
Shows how his leadership qualities have significantly improved
Describe the Nelson Touch
In September, he spent 2 days inviting the captains in to share his battle plan
Coined the ‘Nelson Touch’ with excited captains
Shows how his leadership qualities have significantly improved
HMS victory - cheers of adoring crowds waiting at the Dock
When is the Battle of Trafalgar?
21 October 1805
Nelson and Collingwood positions
Nelson weather column
Collingwood Leer column
Nelson and Morale at Trafalgar
Nelson gives one of the most famous speeches on the Deck of HMS Victory as they approach the France-Spain, “England expects every man to do their duty.”
Nelson wanted to communicate morale so he tours the ship to lift spirits and make sure they are not dreading and nervous. The people were devoted to him.
Why are Britain vulnerable as they approach
Sailing forward and unable to deliver any fire, at mercy of being raked.
The Soveriegn and the Victory are approaching relatively slowly because of the wind.
The French and the Spanish attack poorly and do not damage the Victory and Sovereign much.
Events at Trafalgar
France and Spain line up together, expecting a parallel broadside battle.
Spanish and French ships are composed of gap-filler men, not necessarily specialists.
The British ships are composed of seaborne men.
British ships are superior because they have carronades and copper.
The French and Spanish have some of the biggest ships ever made: Santisma Trinidad (S), Bucentoure (F.) - very powerful first rate ships. People are expecting an extremely two sided battle with multiple casualties for all - but the battle is very one-sided.
The Battle
Nelson aims for the bigger ships first
The Soveriegn is the fastest and most modern (recently cleaned copper) ship and it smashes into the ships ahead of the St Ana (Collingwood)
Nelson feigns a movement to lign up broadside, then crosses the T against the Santisma Trinidad and the Bucentoure. This is so that the ships cannot swarm around him his trap him as they do not have the time (unlike at St Vincent 1797)
Britain uses carronades at close-range and have superior marines boarding and taking over the ships.
Nelson’s strategy uses every aspect to the best effect that he can. He exploits the inexperience and poor quality of the enemy - this show’s Nelson’s development from just acting brashly. The outcome is ludicrously onesided.
Battle of Trafalgar statistics
S+F
33 SOTL - 22 captured
8 first rate ships (Santisma Trinidad)
30k men
4,400 killed
2.5k wounded
7-8k captured
French battleshup blew up.
British
27 SOTL
not as many first rate
Captured ships sunk in the following storm and only took 8 home
17k men
458 killed
1.2k wounded
No ships captured
pyrrhic
Magnificant victory
Most ships destroyed in storm
Nelson dead
French fleet significantly weakened
British superiority - 100 years
Nelson’s deth
The British and French ships were so close, the masts intertwined. A french sharpshooter (the French army were much more skilled than their Navy) shoots Nelson in the shoulder.
Musket
He hid his injury and his surrounding officers took him below deck very quietly, done very covertly as not to shatter the crew’s morale.
Nelson suffocates in his own blood. He was in severe agony for 3 and a half hours, however he lived long enough to know that the battle had been won.
England was in grief + celebration that Nelson had died but France was no longer invading England. It secures 100 years of Naval battle dominance as there are no more battles until the FWW
Impact of Trafalgar
Secure 100 years of British Naval Dominance
Keep blockades of French Empire and continental system
Imperial expansion = logistically support Wellington’s army in Penn Wars = leverage to maintain coalitions
British morale
Dispels invasion scare
Describe the Walsherin Campaign 1809
Shows declining standards
Army still poor
4000 B/F die
