THE ADMIRALS   Reg Reynolds looks at the fates of Nelson, Villeneuve & Gravina   This is it. Trafalgar month. Two hundred years ago, on 21st October, Horatio Nelson led a British fleet to one of the most famous victories in the history of warfare. In the preceding months we have examined the careers of several of Nelson’s finest captains, this month Gibraltar Magazine looks a the fate of the three Admirals who orchestrated the battle — Nelson, Villeneuve, and Gravina. All three died as a direct result of the battle — the first died a hero’s death during battle, the second died by his own hand and the third died in agony of his wounds. Trafalgar is Horatio Nelson’s triumph and this has been more than adequately recognised in books, films and 100s of monuments around the world. Nelson was already a national hero before Trafalgar due to his brilliant leadership in other great naval victories at Copenhagen, Cape St. Vincent, and the Nile, but death at the height of the battle brought him martyrdom as well. Death ensured Nelson’s memory would be revered for ever something that might not have been certain had he lived. Who knows what scandal would have besmirched the reputation of the great Admiral if he had lived another forty years. He was only 47 at his death and had already caused considerable shock through his affair with Lady Hamilton. Some historians believe that Nelson even courted death at Trafalgar by walking in the open wearing a uniform bedecked with medals and ribbons, making him an obvious target for the snipers the French were well-known for deploying high up on the masts. Nelson received a State Funeral and was buried at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Thousands lined the streets and mourned as his coffin, carried in a funeral car designed to represent the flagship Victory. The procession, including 131 admirals, was so long that the Scot Greys leading it had reached the cathedral before the officers of the army and navy bringing up the rear had even begun to march. A statue of Lord Nelson will be unveiled next to Gibraltar’s Trafalgar Cemetery on 28th October at 5pm EVENTS ON THIS MONTH 6th October Talk by Mr Joe Desoisa ‘The Battle of Trafalgar - Prelude and Aftermath’ at John Mackintosh Hall 8.30pm. Entrance free of charge. 16th October Sailing - Trafalgar Bicentenary Regatta, 3pm Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club. Contact Sydney Pilcher Tel: 48847 or 78897 17th-21st October The Trafalgar Rally - Gibraltar to Cape Trafalgar, Royal Cruising Club. Contact Trevor Wilkinson Tel: +44 1728 453379 Email: trewilk@aol.com 28th October Unveiling of Statue of Admiral Lord Nelson in the vicinity of the Trafalgar Cemetery at 5pm 28th-30th October Calpe Conference 2005 Theme: ‘Sentinel of the Mediterranean: Gibraltar, the Navy and the Strait’ at John Mackintosh Hall. Contact: Gibraltar Museum for information Tel: 74289 or visit: www.gib.gi/museum 29th October Guard Mount & Freedom of the City March, Royal Navy & Royal Marines Band starts at Convent Place 11am, then through Main Street to Casemates Square 30th October Royal Marines Band Concert at St Michael’s Cave 8pm. Tickets £10 . Weekly Guided Coach Tours from Gibraltar to Cape Trafalgar. Contact: Bland Ltd. Tel: 79200 or 72663. The French Admiral Pierre Charles de Villeneuve suffered a fate worse than death in that he lost more than the battle — he lost his honour. Villeneuve went into battle already in bad graces with Napoleon. That summer Napoleon had tried to bring the main French fleets together at Brest to support the army in preparation for the invasion of Britain. Due to a variety of circumstances — adverse winds, damaged vessels and false reports — Villeneuve turned back. When Napoleon learned that the fleet of his top admiral was holed up at Cadiz instead he raged: “What a fleet! What sacrifices for nothing! What an admiral! The Emperor then sat down and with his own hand wrote seven specifications against Villeneuve as to where he had failed in his duty. Much has been made of the fact that the combined French-Spanish fleet held a 33-27 advantage over the British fleet but the real difference was the quality of the seamanship and here Villeneuve was aware that he was at a distinct disadvantage. Villeneuve was also familiar with Nelson’s tactics and fully expected him to endeavour to cut through the French line and surround the rear. But Villeneuve also saw with reason that with the raw and untrained fleet under his command it would be impossible to execute a response and so he elected to fight in the traditional manner. A naval historian later wrote: “Naval manoeuvres are of too delicate a nature to be practicable for a fleet which was not been well drilled in their performance.” Rather than try any doubtful ex-periments, Villeneuve therefore contented himself with the ‘ancient order’ the single line of battle with which all were familiar. Although this formation extended his fleet over the sea for a distance of five or six miles, it gave each vessel the free use of her broadside, and it retained the opportunity to double upon the enemy without confusion. The latter was accomplished on several instances but even outnumbered two-to-one the British ships won out — the Fighting Temeraire being a notable example. Nelson famously signalled “England expects that every man will do his duty,” and almost as famous is his instruction at a pre-battle meeting with his captains: “No captain can do very wrong, if he places his ship alongside that of an enemy.” It’s little known but Villeneuve encouraged his captains in a very similar manner: “Every captain who is not under fire is out of his station, and a signal made to remind him will be a stain upon his honour.” Villeneuve’s men fought with great courage and thousands died for the honour of France but in the end they were badly beaten because Nelson had the superior officers and the better-trained crews. Poor Villeneuve was captured and taken to Britain. Under the circumstances he likely would have preferred to remain a prisoner. Instead he was freed on parole, which was the custom of the day. The humiliated Admiral returned to France but could not bare the disgrace or the prospect of facing Napoleon and his court. His body was found in the Hotel de Patrie at Rennes, France on 22nd April 1806. Villeneuve had stabbed himself through the heart. He was buried with out ceremony Federico Carlos Gravina is by far the lesser known of the three admirals in command at Gibraltar but like Nelson and Villeneuve he joined the navy at a young age and prior to Trafalgar had enjoyed a long and distinguished career. Gravina was born in Sicily, which at the time was ruled by the Bourbons of Spain. His father was the Duke of San Miguel but it was rumoured that his natural father was no less a person the Spanish King Carlos III. These advantages enabled him to enter the Spanish navy at age 12 and to rise quickly through the ranks. In 1782 at the Great Siege of Gibraltar Gravina commanded a battering ship, which took part in the final grand attack. Despite the failure of the attack Gravina distinguished himself and was promoted to command the 136-gun Santissima Trinidad (later destroyed at Trafalgar). In the years before Trafalgar Gravina variously: studied astronomy at Constantinople; set a speed record (with the frigate Paz) between Cadiz and Central America; commanded an Armada during negotiations with Britain over a dispute at Nootka Sound, Canada; and was Spanish Ambassador to France. On 22nd July, just three months before Trafalgar, Gravina commanded six Spanish ships in a combined fleet victory over the Admiral Calder’s 15 ships at the Battle of El Ferrol. Only three of the 14 French ships got heavily involved in the action and this created resentment among the Spanish and brought praise from Napoleon: “That damned Gravina is all genius and action in battle... If only Villeneuve had those qualities... How does he have the nerve to complain about the Spanish? They have fought like lions!” At a meeting of the French and Spanish Commanders one Spanish captain had to be restrained from challenging a French admiral to a duel and Gravina publicly rebuked Villeneuve. At a lower level the bodies of murdered French sailors were found in the streets of Cadiz. Nevertheless Gravina’s determination and professionalism kept the Spanish loyal and when Villeneuve sailed out of Cadiz to meet Nelson, 15 of the 33 ships were Spanish. Because Gravina survived the battle and escaped in his flagship Principe de Asturias his courage has often been questioned. In fact the Principe de Asturias fought bravely, three enemy ships at one time, and Gravina was wounded, his left arm shattered by a broadside of grapeshot from HMS Dreadnought. Judging the battle lost, Gravina collected ten other ships, and with the Principe under tow, fled to Cadiz. There the doctors disagreed over the need to amputate his arm. Gangrene set in and the tough Sicilian suffered for nearly five months before his death on 9th March 1806. On his deathbed he is reported to havesaid “I am a dying man, but I die happy; I am going, I hope and trust to join Nelson, the greatest hero that the world perhaps has produced.” In its turn the Gibraltar Chronicle paid tribute: “Spain loses Gravina the most distinguished officer in their navy; one under whose command her fleets, though sometimes beaten, always fought in such a manner as to merit the encomiums of their conquerors.” Gravina is buried in the Panteon de Marinos Illustres, San Fernando, Cadiz Trafalgar200

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