Ensign of the San Ildefonso, captured at the Battle of Trafalgar and displayed at Nelson's funeral. Courtesy of the National Maritime Museum.
From the Gazeta de Madrid.
London, November 26th (1805) In society, at the theatre and places of entertainment, at balls, all the ladies in evening dress wear cypress in their head-dress in memory of Lord Nelson. The loss of Lord Nelson, however, is not the only loss that we have to deplore in the terrible battle which has taken place off Cadiz between our Fleet and that of the Combined Fleet. One may judge of these when one reads the following extract from the despatch that Admiral Collingwood has forwarded to the Admiralty:
STATE OF THE BRITISH FLEET AFTER THE BATTLE OF OCTOBER 19.
Victory
100
Entirely dismasted in the act of breaking the line Admiral Nelson wounded; he died seven hours after the battle
Prince of Wales*
98
Sunk in the action
Britannia
98
Sunk in the action
Dreadnought
98
All the hull riddled with cannon shot
Temeraire
98
Dismasted; the masts of the French ship “Aigle” fell on her deck and killed many of the crew.
Neptune & Prince
98
Both sunk; and the masts of the first and the rudder of the second have been found on Conil beach.
Queen*
98
Lost her foremast and mizzen; at Gibraltar much Damaged.
Donegal*
80
Dismasted on the Barbary coast.
Canopus*
80
Dismasted and taken alongside the sheer hulk at Gibraltar.
Tigre*
80
Sunk off the coast near Sta Maria.
Tonnant*
80
Burnt by the fleet five or six leagues N.W of Cadiz.
Spencer
74
Came into Gibraltar in tow of a frigate making signals for assistance.
Le Spartiate
74
Sunk after the action, on the coast near Rota.
Defence
74
Without mainmast; at Gibraltar.
Swiftsure
74
Lost her foretopmast; at Gibraltar.
Orion
74
Dismasted, on the coast of Africa
Leviathan
74
Under sail. And lost her maintopmast.
Zealous
74
Hull damaged; at Gibraltar.
Conqueror
74
Under sail.
Revenge
74
At Gibraltar, the second without a topsail yard
Achille
74
Minotaur
74
Ran ashore on the coast off Conill or San Lucar.
Colossus
74
Idem
Mars
74
Under sail
Bellerophon
74
Under sail
Polyphemus
74
Under sail, without a mizen mast.
Esparciata
74
Sunk after the battle off the coast off Rota.
Carnatic
74
Under sail – with jury-masts
SHIPS WHICH JOINED THE ENGLISH FLEET AT 5 PM 21ST OCTOBER.
The following dispatches and diary entries are taken from a book of Nelson’s letters. They give us deep insight into the working of that great man’s mind as well as all the preparations and maneuvering […]
The signal issued by Lord Nelson from the HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar is famous for its patriotism and poignancy. It was communicated via flags hoisted in a specific order.
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