INTO BATTLE

Date: 21st October 1805...........................................................Location: Off Cape Trafalgar

At dawn on the 21st October the two fleets were in sight of each other but about six miles apart. The wind was light north-westerly. The British fleet formed into two columns and slowly approached the enemy. Victory led the windward column as they prepared for battle. Temeraire was sailing faster than Victory and it was suggested to Nelson that she be allowed to take the lead, he agreed to this but once abeam the speeds of the two ships evened out and so Temeraire was ordered back into position behind Victory. Neptune, usually a slow ship, was showing an unusual turn of speed and had been ordered to take in her stunsails and the ships are seen here manoeuvring to get back into their positions.

The ships are set up for battle with their yards chained up and netting hung in the rigging to protect the crews from falling debris. In such a slow approach it was common for one the gun crew to hang out of the gun port to see how far of the enemy were and one such can be seen in this painting