Nelson’s Fleet at Trafalgar
Under Review
by Paul Chamberlain
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Brian Lavery,
Nelson’s Fleet at Trafalgar is a new study of the period 1803-05, culminating in the action at Trafalgar and the immediate effects of that event. The author, Brian Lavery, is Curator of Naval History at the National Maritime Museum and was an historical adviser on the film Master and Commander. This book has been published by the NMM to lead the way in marketing the ‘Trafalgar 200’ celebrations for 2005. It is not simply an account of the Trafalgar Campaign at sea, with an emphasis on Nelson’s leadership, a theme followed by other authors. The campaign is examined through from the context of the threat of invasion of the country, and tells the story of the ordinary men who served in the fleet. Their story begins with the mobilization of the navy in 1803, when many men were swept up by the Press Gangs, and ends with the aftermath of Trafalgar and the great storm that devastated the fleet. The author makes extensive use of accounts written by the officers and seamen involved, many unpublished, and these help to bring the story vividly to life. The story is told from all angles, not just that of the Royal Navy. Napoleon’s invasion plans are studied in detail, along with the British countermeasures, both naval and military, along with views of the potential outcome of such a venture. The story of specific ships is related, such as the Victory, Bellerophon, Mars and Revenge, telling the story of the vessel and the men on board. The campaign is examined from the opposite side, looking at both Villeneuve and his Spanish allies. What makes this book interesting is that each stage of the campaign and battle is told through the eyes of the men who took part, so we learn of their thoughts and feelings, and discover how they were involved personally. The text provides short biographies of many of the participants, both officers and men, giving the story a human angle. We follow their roles throughout the battle, with a broadside by broadside account of the action and how each participant fared. The stages of the Battle of Trafalgar are described, including the aftermath when French and Spanish ships surrendered, and the effect of the storm on the damaged vessels as they attempted to reach Gibraltar. This part of the story is interesting as we learn of the fate of many of the captured vessels, with some of them actually reverting to their original owners and escaping to the safety of Cadiz. Nelson’s Fleet at Trafalgar represents a new study of the campaign, told in a unique and vivid style. It is very much the human story of the campaign, related through the eyes of the men who were there. It is superbly illustrated with ship plans, charts and portraits from the NMM collections, and provides a new insight into not only the Trafalgar campaign, but the navy of the period as well. This should be an essential addition to any library on Trafalgar, and will be in the vanguard of the many books published to commemorate the bicentenary next year. The images, which are reproduced in the Napoleonic Newsdesk of this issue, are extracted from Nelson’s Fleet At Trafalgar by Brian Lavery to be published by National Maritime Museum Publishing priced £14.99 www.nmm.ac.uk/publishing First Empire and NMMP have teamed up to save you money. To order your signed copy of Nelson’s Fleet At Trafalgar, with a 10% discount, please call 020 8312 6671 or email publishing@nmm.ac.uk and quote reader offer code EMP002.’ Under Reviews Book Reviews
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