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Introduction
The Mutiny At The Nore
The French Version of The Battle of Trafalgar
The Surgeon
The Performers
The Re-enactment Groups
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The French Version of The Battle of Trafalgar
Location: Kent
NELSON KILLED IN DUEL WITH VILLENEUVE!
ENGLISH FLEET DESTROYED AT TRAFALGAR.
Anyone who thought that Nelson won the Battle of Trafalgar should read this contemporary French account published in the newspaper Le Moniteur.
Head Quarters, Cadiz, Oct. 25 1805
The English fleet is annihilated - Nelson is no more. Indignant at being inactive in Port, while our brave brothers in arms were gaining laurels in Germany, Admirals Villeneuve and Gravina resolved to put to sea and give the English a fight. They were superior in number, 45 to our 33, but what is that, to men determined to fight and win. Nelson did everything to avoid a battle, he attempted to enter the Mediterranean, but we chased him, and caught him off Trafalgar.
Lord Nelson adopted a new system, afraid of meeting us in the old way, in which he knows we have superiority of skill, as we proved by our victory over Sir Robert Calder. He attempted a new mode of fighting. Three hours did we fight in this manner, the English began to be dismayed: they found it impossible to resist us, but our brave sailors were tired of this slow means of gaining a victory and decided to board her, their cry was "al'abordage."
Villeneuve flew on to the quarterdeck and with the usual generosity of the French; he carried a brace of pistols in his hands. He knew the Admiral had lost his arm, and could not use his sword so he offered a pistol to Nelson, they fought, and at the second shot Nelson fell. He was immediately carried below.
Villeneuve attended him with the accustomed French humanity.
Our victory was now complete.
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