The battle of Trafalgar: and the 'ever to be lamented death of Vice-Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson'

This official dispatch from Vice-Admiral Collingwood, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's ships and vessels off Cadiz, to the British admiralty on the battle of Trafalgar captures the extent of Nelson's achievement, the spirit of the fleet and the acute loss of one of England's finest commanders.
It was published in the Norwich Mercury

Victory over the Combined Fleets

Gazette Extraordinary

Dispatches, of which the following are copies, were received at the Admiralty this day, at one o'clock, am from Vice-Admiral Collingwood, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels off Cadiz.

HMS Euryalus, off Cape Trafalgar, Oct 22, 1805

SIR - The ever to be lamented death of Vice-Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson who, in the late conflict with the enemy, fell in the hour of victory, leaves to me the duty of informing my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that on the 19th instant, it was communicated to the Commander in Chief from the ships watching the motions of the enemy in Cadiz, that the Combined Fleet had put to sea; as they sailed with light winds westerly, his Lordship concluded their destination was the Mediterranean, and immediately made all sail for the Streights' entrance, with the British squadron, consisting of twenty-seven ships, three of them sixty-fours, where his Lordship was informed that they had not yet passed the Streights.

On Monday the 21st instant, at day-light, when Cape Trafalgar bore E. by S. about seven leagues, the enemy was discovered six or seven miles to the Eastwards, the wind about West, and very light; the Commander in Chief immediately made the signal for the fleet to bear up in two columns, as they are formed in order of sailing; a mode of attack his Lordship had previously directed, to avoid the inconvenience and delay in forming a line of battle in the usual manner.

The enemy's line consisted of 33 ships (of which 18 were French and 15 Spanish), Commanded in Chief by Admiral Villeneuve. The Spaniards under the direction of Gravina, wore with their heads to the northwards, and formed their line of battle with great coolness and correctness; but as the mode of attack was unusual, so the structure of their line was new.

As the mode of our attack had been previously determined on, and communicated to the Flag Officers, and Captains, few signals were necessary, and none were made, except to direct close order as the lines bore down.

The Commander in Chief, in the Victory, led the weather column, and the Royal Sovereign, which bore my flag, the lee. The action began at twelve o'clock, by the leading ships of the column breaking through the enemy's line, the Commander in Chief about the tenth ship from the van, the Second in Command about the twelfth from the rear, leaving the van of the enemy unoccupied; the succeeding ships breaking through, in all parts, astern of their leaders, and engaging the enemy at the muzzles of their guns; the conflict was severe; the enemy's ships were fought with a gallantry highly honourable to their Officers; but the attack on them was irresistible, and it pleased the Almighty Disposer of all events to grant his Majesty's arms a complete and glorious victory.

About three P.M. many of the enemy's ships having struck their colours, their line gave way; Admiral Gravina, with ten ships joining their frigates to leeward, stood towards Cadiz.

The five headmost ships in the van tacked, and standing to the Southward, to windward of the British line, were engaged, and the sternmost of them taken; the others went off, leaving to his Majesty's squadron nineteen ships of the line. After such a Victory, it may appear unnecessary to enter into encomiums on the particular parts taken by the several Commanders; the conclusion says more on the subject than I have language to express; the spirit which animated all was the same: when all exert themselves zealoulsy in their country's service, all deserve that their high merits should stand recorded; and never was high merit more conspicuous than in the battle I have described.

The Achille (a French 74), after having surrendered, by some mismanagement of the Frenchmen, took fire and blew up; two hundred of her men were saved by the Tenders.

A Circumstance occurred during the action, which so strongly marks the invincible spirit of British seamen, when engaging the enemies of their country, that I cannot resist the pleasure I have in making it known to their Lordships; the Temeraire was boarded by accident, or design, by a French ship on one side, and A Spaniard on the other; the contest was vigorous, but, in the end, the Combined Ensigns were torn from the poop, and the British hoisted in their places. Such a battle could not be fought without sustaining a great loss of men.

I have not only to lament, in common with the British Navy, and the British Nation, the Fall of the Commander in Chief, the loss of a Hero, whose name will be immortal, and his memory ever dear to his country: but my heart is rent with the most poignant grief for the death of a friend, to whom, by many years intimacy, and a perfect knowledge of the virtues of his mind, which inspired ideas superior to the common race of men, I was bound by the strongest ties of affection; a grief to which even the most glorious occasion in which he fell, does not bring the consolation which, perhaps, it ought: his Lordship received a musket ball in his left breast, about the middle of the action, and sent an Officer to me immediately with his last farewell; and soon after expired.

The whole fleet were now in a very perilous situation, many dismasted, all shattered, in thirteen fathoms of water, off the shoals of Trafalgar; and when I made the signal to prepare to anchor, few of the ships had an anchor to let go, their cables being shot; but the same good Providence which aided us through such a day preserved us in the night.

Having thus detailed the proceedings of the fleet on this occasion, I beg to congratulate their Lordships on a victory which, I hope, will add a ray to the glory of his Majesty's crown, and be attended with public benefit to our country. I am, &c.

(Signed) C.Collingwood

The Mercury account continued:

The object of the Combined Fleets was apparently to proceed to Toulon, and thence to Malta, Egypt or the Archipelago, as circumstances might require.

Lord Nelson's great view being to induce them to come out, he placed his frigates within half a mile of the harbour of Cadiz; and at a greater distance were stationed 7 or 8 sail of the line, while he remained with the rest off Cape St. Mary's. He had so arranged his plan of the battle; which was ingenious and original, that very few signals were necessary. The last orders given by his Lordship were, "England expects every man to do his duty."

His Lordship persisted in wearing the Stars of the different orders on his coat. Showers of musket ball were continually pouring on the quarter-deck of the Victory: Lord Nelson's Secretary, Mr Scott was shot through the head, and fell by his side. Soon after, a rifle ball, from the tops, entered below the left shoulder of the Admiral, and penetrated the vital parts.

When he saw the surgeon pale with grief and horror at the wound, he said, "I see it is mortal."

Being placed in a chair he spoke no more of his wound, but calmly dictated orders and received reports. Almost every minute brought the gratifying accounts of the Enemy's ships that had struck, which augmented as his life ebbed away.

At length he was told fifteen had struck, the last of which was the superb Santissima Trinidada. He heard it with a rapture of joy, in which in a few moments afterwards he expired.

Previous to the fatal event, he submissively said, "The Will of God be done; and I thank the Almighty for permitting me to expire in the Arms of Victory!"

Then leaning his head upon the shoulder of his Captain, who remained with him to the last, his gallant soul escaped for ever!

Thus expired one of the greatest of her Naval Heroes, to whom England is largely indebted for her empire and her glory, and who has extended her fame to the extremities of the Globe.

The results of this glorious battle will be, to secure us from all immediate dangers of Invasion, and to raise the spirits and exertions of our Allies on the continent.

The skill and courage of our countrymen have once more restored the spirits of Europe, drooping under recent disasters; but the eyes of England are wet with tears for the loss of her hero. It is her only consolation that his death has been as glorious as his life.

Maps of the battle of Trafalgar
The British death toll of Trafalgar
The bizarre French report - of their glorious victory