Chapter XVI

THE TRAFALGAR CAMPAIGN—CONCLUDED.
JANUARY—OCTOBER, 1805.

SUCCESSIVE MODIFICATIONS OF NAPOLEON'S PLAN.—NARRATIVE OF NAVAL
MOVEMENTS.—FINAL FAILURE OF NAPOLEON'S NAVAL COMBINATIONS.—WAR
WITH AUSTRIA, AND BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ.—BATTLE OF
TRAFALGAR.—VITAL CHANGE IMPOSED UPON NAPOLEON'S POLICY BY THE
RESULT OF THE NAVAL CAMPAIGN.

Napoleon has direction of both Spanish and French fleets 140

His lack of familiarity with maritime difficulties 141

Instructions to the Rochefort and Toulon admirals 142

The Rochefort squadron puts to sea 142

Delay, and final departure, of the Toulon fleet 143

Nelson's movements 143

He takes his fleet to Alexandria 144

The Toulon ships being crippled in a gale, Villeneuve returns to
Toulon 144

Napoleon's plans again modified by this delay 146

Stations of the British and Allied fleets in March, 1805 147

Napoleon's new instructions to his admirals 149

Return of Nelson to Toulon, and his subsequent movements 150

Second Sailing of Villeneuve 151

Joined by a Spanish division at Cadiz, and reaches Martinique 151

Nelson's uncertainties and head winds 152

He reaches Gibraltar, and follows Villeneuve to West Indies 152

Napoleon goes to Italy 153

His naval measures and surmises 154

Nelson's sound strategy and sagacity 156

Miscalculations of Napoleon 157

The measures of the British Admiralty 159

Nelson in the West Indies 161

Divergent directions taken by the hostile fleets 161

Villeneuve returns to Europe 162

Nelson penetrates his intention and sails in pursuit 163

Napoleon sends to Ferrol instructions for Villeneuve 164

Napoleon's efforts to distract the British navy 165

The British resist the diversions raised for them 166

Villeneuve sighted at sea by a dispatch ship from Nelson 167

The news brought to London 168

Energetic and skilful measures of the Admiralty 168

Villeneuve intercepted by Calder off Cape Finisterre 169

Nelson reaches Gibraltar 169

Napoleon misled by the rapidity of the British action 170

Napoleon goes to Boulogne to await Villeneuve 171

The engagement between Calder and Villeneuve 171

Subsequent mistakes of the British admiral 172

Villeneuve puts into Vigo, and reaches Coruña 173

Calder joins Cornwallis off Brest 174

Nelson also joins Cornwallis from Gibraltar 174

Strategic advantage now in the hands of the British 175

Cornwallis divides his fleet and destroys his advantage 176

Imminent hostilities on the Continent 176

The Third Coalition formed 177

Urgent orders from Napoleon to Villeneuve 178

Napoleon's decision as to his own movements 179

Villeneuve sails from Coruña for Brest 179

He abandons his purpose and enters Cadiz 180

The allied fleets blockaded in Cadiz by Collingwood 181

Napoleon's campaign of 1805 in Germany 181

Battle of Austerlitz and peace of Presburg 182

Fate of the great flotilla 182

Discussion of the chances of Napoleon's project of invasion 182

Necessity of making the attempt 184

Napoleon's orders to Villeneuve in Cadiz 185

Nelson takes command off Cadiz 186

The combined fleets put to sea 187

Nelson's tactics at Trafalgar discussed 188

Battle of Trafalgar 190

Death of Nelson 192

Nautical disasters succeeding the battle 194

Immediate results of the battle 195

Subsequent fate of the French ships in Cadiz 195

Momentous consequences flowing from the battle of Trafalgar 196

Commerce-destroying henceforth the sole resource of Napoleon 197