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Toulon
Admiral Hood seized Toulon, the main French naval base. Arrival of French army forced him to abandon the port, but he managed to capture/destroy a large number of French shios -
Battle of the Glorious First of June
The Royal Navy blockaded French ports; commander heard that a grain convoy was being shipped to France.
Sent ships west for battle. Casualties and prisoners: French: 7000; GB: 1200.
Not total success - some cargo reached France & prevented famine. -
Period: to
Developments in 1795-6
1795: Jervis took over command from Hood.
Jervis had excellent relations with officers (like Nelson) and set about 'whipping' the fleet into shape.
1796: Royal Navy became strained when the Netherlands and Spain changed to France's side. -
Battle of Cape St Vincent
Jervis encountered a Spanish fleet almost twice the size of his own.
Jervis had confidence in his men; they cut off the enemy line (Nelson played a major role: he boarded San Josef).
Nelson gets all the limelight, despite others working hard.
Jervis got 4 ships & drove enemy back, ennobled as the Earl of St Vincent. -
Spithead Mutiny
Admiral Lord Bridport ordered fleet to sea, all crews refused because they were unhappy with pay, quality of food and brutality of officers.
NOT inspired by French Revolution - more of a strike, where officers sympathised and joined.
Petition sent to the Admiralty & gov. agreed to raise wages.
May: new mutiny broke out, led by 'petty officers': seamen who were not commissioned, but had some authority.
Lord Howe visited each ship to re-establish trust & held a banquet. -
The Nore Mutiny
Men wanted: power of veto over officers, longer leave and pardons for all deserters.
Mutineers joined by North Sea Fleet & attempted to blockade the Thames from merchant ships.
Pitt's gov. set out to isolate and starve the mutineers.
Ended when moderate sailors wrestled control.
Richard Parker, mutiny leader, was hanged (as were 28 other leaders).
Royal Navy's most value - its discipline - was on the verge of collapse. -
The Battle of Camperdown
Admiral Lord Duncan's North Sea Fleet encountered a similar number of Dutch ships & smashed them, captures 11 battleships and 3 frigates.
Provided a boost to morale, but Britain's outlook still bleak:
- GB threatened by French invasion
- Austria made peace with France in 1797; GB had no major ally in Europe.
- Large French army/fleet at Toulon preparing to sail - but where?
Nelson with 3 ships of the line & 3 frigates sent to investigate... -
Period: to
The Atlantic 1798-1801
Earl of St. Vincent (Jervis) blockaded Brest. It was not easy:
-Hard getting supplies to British ships
- Several ships wrecked by dangerous rocks
- No rest for sailors
BUT, prevented the French from venturing out -
Period: to
The Mediterranean 1798 -1801
1798-9: French and Spanish ships still a threat; GB ships out-stretched.
Nelson was angry that Admiral Kieth was appointed commander-in-chief, so went on a long sulk.
Nelson had an affair with Emma Hamilton, his friend's wife.
By 1800, Nelson more interested with Hamilton than the Navy. He requested to leave. It was accepted.
Under Kieth, Royal navy took Malta in 1800 -
The Battle of the Nile
Napoleon left Toulon with nearly 50,000 men, to Egypt.
Nelson heard rumours that the French had taken Malta, so he gambled the fact that Napoleon was heading to Egypt.
He arrived at Alexandria on 29 June, no sign of the French, so set off to search elsewhere.
Napoleon arrived at Alexandria a day after Nelson left. -
The Battle of The Nile (2)
Nelson found the French fleet at the mouth of the River Nile.
The two fleets had the same number of ships, but French had an exceptionally large 120-gun ship (the Orient) and two 80 gun ships. Nelson had all 74s and one 50-gun ship (Leander).
Nelson gave battle (eventhough it was night & against conventional rules) -
The Battle of the Nile (2) events
The Goliath, commanded by Foley, sailed arounf leading French ship to attack shore side because he believed that they wouldn't have prepared. Other ships joined, so some French ships were attacked from 2 sides.
120-gun French ship (Orient) as ablaze for 30 mins & exploded at 9pm.
Nelson's 'band of brothers' (his captains) did him proud - only 2 out of 13 ships escaped. -
The Battle of The Nile (2) outcomes
Stunning victory:
Royal Navy regained control of the Mediterranean
Napoleon and crew were trapped in Egypt for a year
Austria, Russia, Naples and Turkey joined GB in new coalition Nelson had a wound, so didn't fight much. But he did:
Bring about the battle
Inspired officers and men
Didn't over-complicate (only 9 signals)
Nelson was a national hero! -
The Baltic threat
British blockade of French and Spanish ports deprived the Baltic from markets.
Tsar of Russia put pressure on Denmark, Sweden and Prussia to join a League of Armed Neutrality to challenge British arrogance.
- The Baltic powers had nearly 100 warships
- League could keep GB out of Baltic (where it obtained timer, tar etc..)
Admiral Sir Parker given command of Baltic fleet: to sail to Copenhagen; then attack Russian Navy.
Nelson appointed second-in-command -
The Baltic Threat (2)
Nelson led the attack on Copenhagen.
Nelson's force: 11 ships of the line; 5 frigates; 4 sloops; 7 bomb vessels - had to enter King's Channel (narrow strip of shallow water, lined with Danish defense).
Plan: first ship enter, anchor opposite Danish ship and open fire. Then next ship etc. After defences overcome, vessels would shell the city. Most ships made it through - Danes put up a good fight. -
The Baltic Threat (3)
Parker: 'discontinue the action.'
Nelson saw, but said "I have only one eye...and I have a right to be blind sometimes" puts telescope to blind eye..."I really do not see the signal."
Good job Nelson disobeyed - most Danish ships surrendered 1hr later, but GB still getting attacked.
Nelson sent letter to Crown Prince & settled a truce. 12 ships were taken.
Nelson replaced Parker as commander of Baltic fleet. New Russian Tsar had no intentions of naval war with GB - Baltic now peaceful! -
Period: to
The situation 1802-5
March 1802: Peace of Amiens (GB and France).
St. Vincent aimed to reform dockyards; cancelled shipbuilding & dismissed hundreds of workers to save money.
May 1803: Napoleon gathered an army of 100,000 to invade GB.
Because St. Vincent stopped work on the docks, GB were short on men, ships and supplies.
Nelson command of Mediterranean Fleet.
HMS Victory (100-gun ship) was his flagship.
Main task to keep an eye on Toulon with open blockade, but French stayed in port. -
The Chase
Spain allied with France & had 102 ships (18 of the line). The Royal Navy had 83 (11).
Napoleon's plan: evade Nelson, lure him across Atlantic, combined fleets join the French to overwhelm channel & invade GB.
French escaped Nelson's trap & Nelson gave chase.
Once Nelson at Barbados, French headed back to Europe - Nelson recrossed Atlantic, sending a Fast frigate ahead to warn of danger.
GB Fleet, under Calder, intercepted French & got 2 ships. Savaged by press, but threat of invasion lifted. -
The Battle of Trafalgar
Nelson hoped to lure Villeneuve (French) out of port by keeping ships 50 miles offshore & line of frigates reported enemy movement.
Stressed the importance of: getting into battle quickly; only fire when yards away.
Villeneuve left port with 33 battleships, 2568 guns; Nelson with 27 & 2148.
Both fleets saw eachother; insufficient wind for Villeneuve to sail away, ordered ships into makeshift line.
Nelson formed 2 divisions: him & the Victory; Collingwood in the Royal Sovereign. -
The Battle of Trafalgar (4)
Appalling conditions: noisy, smoky and slipping on blood of comrades.
Nelson shot through shoulder, punctured lung and through spine.
French ships began surrendering - GB possessed 12 or 14 ships.
Nelson died at 4:30pm & fleet took 18 ships: 11 made it back to GB, 5 considered seaworthy. Not 1 GB ship lost.
Death/injured:
GB: 459/1208
France: 2218/1155
Spanish: 1025/1383
8000 French and Spanish prisoners.
No big impact on War of Third Coalition, but stopped any serious challenges by French. -
The Battle of Trafalgar (2)
Nelson raised signal: "Engage the enemy more closely."
GB received heavy fire f which they were unable to return. Luckily, aim was poor.
Huge amount of armament: lump together battle of Waterloo & Trafalgar = only 7% given by land.
The Royal Sovereign reached line first; Collingwood on the quarterdeck (most dangerous, but point of honour for officers) - nonchalantly eating an apple, he gave the signal to fire. -
The Battle of Trafalgar (3)
The Victory was under fire from 5 ships for 40mins; rigging & sails cut to pieces & steering damaged.
Found gap to Villeneuve's flagship (Bucentaure) and put 400 men/20 guns out of action.
Victory got so entangled with a French ship but carronade fire prevented French boarding.
GB suffered huge damage, but GB overwhelmed the enemy when more ships came.
GB more accurate than French: used Flintlock matches not Linstock (which had a delay).