Decisive action - Nelson orders HMS Captain to wear ship
Nelson, realising that the leading ships of the line were unable to catch the rear of the Spanish division, gave orders to Captain Miller to wear Captain out of the line of battle. As soon as the two deck 74 gun ship was around, he directed her to pass between Diadem and Excellent and ran across the bows of the Spanish ships forming the central group of the weather division. This group included the Santissima Trinidad, the largest ship afloat at the time and mounting 130 guns, the San Josef, 112, Salvador del Mundo, 112, San Nicolas, 84, San Ysidro 74 and the Mexicano 112. Nelson's decision to wear ship was significant. As a junior commander he was subject to the orders of his Commander in Chief (Admiral Jervis); in taking this action he was acting against the 'form line ahead and astern of Victory' order and using his own wide interpretation of another signal. Had the action failed, he would have been court-martialled for disobeying orders in the face of the enemy with subsequent loss of command and disgrace. At about 1.30pm, Culloden was gradually overhauling the Spanish rear and began a renewed but not very close engagement of the same group of ships. Jervis signalled his rearmost ship, Excellent to come to the wind on the larboard tack and following this order, Collingwood brought his ship round to a position ahead of Culloden. After a few more minutes, Blenheim and Prince George came up behind and the group of British ships prevented the Spanish from grouping together. "At about 2.00pm, the Culloden had stretched so far ahead as to cover the Captain from the heavy fire poured into her by the Spanish four-decker and her companions, as they hauled up and brought their broadsides to bear. Of the respite thus afforded to her, the Captain took immediate advantage, replenishing her lockers with shot and splicing and repairing her running rigging..... At about 2.30, Excellent having been directed by signal to bear up, edged away and at 2.35, arriving abreast of the disabled Spanish three-decker Salvator del Mundo, engaged the latter on her weather bow for a few minutes; then passing on to the next Spanish ship in succession, the San Ysidro, whose three topmasts had already been shot away. This ship Captain Collingwood engaged closely until 2.50pm when, after a gallant defence in her crippled state, the San Ysidro hauled down the Spanish flag. Very soon after the Excellent and Diadem commenced an attack on the Salvator del Mundo, the 74 stationing herself on the weather bow and the 64 on the lee quarter of the Spanish three-decker, then, with her topmasts gone and otherwise much disabled.... Observing the Victory about to pass close astern, the Salvator del Mundo whose mizzen mast had since shared the fate of the fore and main very judiciously hauled down her flag as soon as some of Victory's bow guns came to bear." San Nicolas was in close action with Captain when Excellent opened fire on the other side. Passing within ten feet of her starboard side, Excellent poured in a destructive broadside. To avoid Excellent, San Nicolas luffed up and ran foul of the San Josef on her other side.
Captain now came up to the wind, and her foretop mast fell over the side. With their ship almost out of control, Nelson and Captain Miller
took Captain alongside the San Josef. As the cathead of Captain locked against the starboard quarter of San Nicolas,
Nelson ordered,
Page creation: Peter Milford - St Vincent College, February 1997
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