Saturday Sept 14^th 1805

At Six o’Clock arrived at Portsmouth and having arrainged all my business Embarked at the Bathing Machines with Mr Rose and Mr Canning at 2 got on board the Victory at St Helens who dined with me preparing for sea.

['arrainged' - this isn't a typo, it is Nelson's own spelling error.]

(5)

Saturday Sept 15^th 1805

At day Weighed with Light air Northerly at 6 was obliged to anchor at 8 weighed all day Light breezes at sun sett off Christ church all night Light Breezes & very foggy Euryalus in Company.

[Euryalus: 36-gun frigate, Capt. Henry Blackwood.]

Wrote L^y. Hⁿ.

Monday Sept 16^th first part Light Breezes & very foggy at noon fresh Breezes Westerly in the Evening off the Berry head 4 miles.  All night fresh Breezes Westerly.

Wrote L^y H

Tuesday Sept 17^th fresh Breezes WSW at 9 abreast of Ply^o. sent in Euryalus to call out the Ajax and Thunderer all night stand^g to the Westward Wind from SW to SSW.

[Ajax: 74-gun ship-of-the-line, Capt. William Brown.]

[Thunderer: 74-gun ship-of-the-line, Capt. William Lechmere.]

Wrote L^y H

Wednesday Sep^t 18 first part light Breezes & heavy western swell Wind South Lay too for the Ajax and Thunderer [signal?] North at noon they joined made all possible Sail all night Breezes vble from SE to SSW swell from the Westward.

(7)

Thursday Sep^t 19^th first part fresh gales & heavy sea at noon hard gales at SW at 6 hard Rain wind at NW all night heavy sea & fresh breezes

Wrote L^y Hⁿ

Friday Sep^t 20^th modt^e Breezes WSW & heavy Sea at 9 Saw a Squadron of Ships of War at 11 passed the Squadron of Rear Ad^l Stirling consisting of 5 Sail of the Line and one frigate At noon Wind WSW Saw a frigate to Windward which made the private signal at 2 Spoke the Decade carrying the flag of Rear Ad^l Sir Rich^d Bickerton Capt Stuart came on board gave him orders for his farther proceeding.  Fresh gales at 3 reeft the Courses.  All night very fresh gales from the NW which came on with heavy rain at 9 oClock

[Decade: 36-gun frigate, Capt. John Stuart.]

[Rear-Admiral Charles Stirling: had remained off Cape Finisterre, in HMS Glory, after the battle there in July.]

[Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton: had been Nelson's second-in-command during his time in the Mediterranean.]

(9)

Saturday Sept 21^st 1805

Fresh gales all day at NNW at night wind at North & NE heavy swell.

Sunday Sept 22^nd Mod^te Breezes at NE & heavy swell from NW at 10 o Clock saw a Convoy of 7 Sail under a Vessel of War in the SE quarter at 6 o Clock Euryalus made the Signal that a Vessel was reconnoitering in the East quarter all night fresh gales at East to ESE.

(10)

Monday Sept 23^rd Fresh gales EbS at 6 o’Clock abreast of Cape Finisterre 17 Lg^s at noon mod^te W^r in Lat 42^o: 25N all night fine weather wind Easterly.

Tuesday Sept 24^th mod^te Breezes SE at noon in Lat 4^o: 05 N^o: 3pm Light airs South in the Evening wind Northerly Light Breezes all night at NE and a swell from the NW

(11)

Wrote L^y H

Wednesday Sept 25^th 1805

Light airs Southerly saw the Rock of Libra SSE 10 Leagues at Sunsett the Cap^t. of the Constance came onboard sent my letters for England by him to Lisbon and wrote to Capt Sutton & the Consul the Enemys fleet had not left Cadiz the 18^th of this month therefore I yet hope they will wait my arrival.

[Capt Sutton: Samuel Sutton, captain of the Amphion.]

(12)

Monday Sept 26^th Light airs at NW all day Rock of Lisbon in sight to the NNE 13 or 14 Lg^s.  At 4 o’Clock sent Euryalus to join Vice Ad^l. Collingwood with my orders to put himself under my Command considering myself as within the Limits of my Command all night Light Breezes at NW.

[Vice Admiral Collingwood: commanding the fleet off Cadiz in Nelson's absence, and became his 2nd-in-command upon his return.]

(13)

Friday Sept 27^th 1805 at day light Cape St. Vincent SEbS by Compass 6 leagues saw a Sloop of War or Small frigate East 5 or 6 miles called her in she proved to be the Nautilus Sloop from Vice Ad. Collingwood bound to England with dispatches at noon abreast of Lagos Bay fresh Breezes NW at 1am brought too fresh Breezes NWbN.

(14)

Saturday Sept 28^th 1805

Fresh Breezes at NNW at daylight bore up & made sail at 9 saw the Aetna Cruizing at noon saw nine Sail of ships of War bearing East Lat^de. 36: 32 N at one saw Eighteen Sail nearly Calm in the Evening joined the fleet under Vice Admiral Collingwood saw the Enemys fleet in Cadiz amounting to 35 or 36 Sail of the Line.

[Aetna: a bomb ship.]

(15)

Sunday Sept 19^th fine Weath^r gave out the necessary orders for the fleet sent Euryalus to watch the Enemy with the Hydra off Cadiz.

[Hydra: 38-gun frigate, Capt. George Mundy.]

Monday Sept 30^th fine weather Wind Easterly.

Tuesday Oct 1^st fine W^t. Ad^l Louis’ Squadron joined with Thunder & Eurymion with sprung masts.  Sent Aetna to cruize under Cape St. Marys Pickle joined from Plymouth.

[Adl Louis: Rear-Admiral Thomas Louis, of the Canopus.]

[Thunder: Bomb ship.]

[Eurymion: I'm not sure what Nelson is referring to here, as I can't find any reference of a ship with this name.]

[Pickle: a 10-gun cutter.]

(16)

Wrote Ly. Hn.

Wednesday Oct 2^nd

Fine W^t: westerly sent Thunder to Gib^r. Sard^a. Palermo & Naples.  Sent Canopus, Tigre, Spencer Queen, Zealous to Gib^r & Tetuan for water & provⁿ.

[Admiral Louis protested strongly about being sent away, believing that he would miss the upcoming battle.  Nelson assured him that he would be back before the enemy came out, but he was wrong, and Louis and his squadron missed Trafalgar, to his intense disappointment.]

[Canopus: Adml. Louis' ship, 80-guns.]

[Tigre: 80 guns, Capt. Benjamin Hallowell.]

[Spencer: 74 guns, Capt. Robert Stopford.]

[Queen: 98 guns.]

[Zealous: 74 guns, Capt. John Oakes Hardy.]

Thursday Oct 3^rd 1805

Fine Weather.  Sent Eurydice to Cruize under Cape S^t. Marys

Friday Oct 4^th

Fine Weather Wind Easterly several Ships of War in sight to the Southward which proved to be Adm^l. Louis’ Squadron.

Saturday Oct 5^th

Fine weather, Bittern joined with 2 transports from Gib^r, laying too clearing transports.

[Bittern: 18-gun sloop.]

Sunday Oct 6^th

Mod^e. Breezes ESE clearing transports in the night fresh breezes Easterly.

Wrote L^y. H.

Monday Oct 7^th 1805

Fresh Breezes & a hasty sea joined the Amphion with a transport from Lisbon Naiad & Niger with transports from Gibralt^r. Sent the Bittern to Lisbon with the Gib^r. Mail at noon mod^e. Breezes & a swell from the Eastward all night fresh Gales Easterly.

[Amphion: 32-gun frigate, Capt. Samuel Sutton.]

[Naiad: 38-gun frigate, Capt. Thomas Dundas.]

[Niger: 38-gun frigate, Capt. James Hillyar.]

Tuesday Oct 8^th

Fresh Breezes Easterly.  Royal Sovereign in sight to Leeward at 4pm she joined, sent the Naid off Cadiz.  Eurydice captured a Spanish Privateer.

[Royal Sovereign: 100-guns, Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood's ship.]

['Naid' - this is Nelson's own misspelling of Naiad, not a typo!]

[The privateer captured by the Eurydice was the 6-gun El Mestuo la Solidade.]

Wednesday Oct 9^th

Fresh Breezes Easterly receiv’d an account from Cap^t. Blackwood that the French ships had all bent their Topg^t sails sent the Pickle to him with orders to keep a good look out.  Sent ad^l. Collingwood the Nelson Touch.  At night Wind Westerly

[Capt. Henry Blackwood of the Euryalus.]

['The Nelson Touch' was the name Nelson gave to his plan for the upcoming battle.  On 1st October, he wrote to Emma Hamilton telling her of his officers' reaction to it: "...when I came to explain to them the Nelson touch, it was like an electric shock.  Some shed tears, all approved - 'it was new, it was singular, it was simple!' and, from Admirals downwards, it was repeated - 'It must succeed, if ever they will allow us to get at them!'"]

Thursday Oct 10^th 1805

Fine W^r: Wind Westerly receiv’d an account that the Enemy are ready for Sea and at the very harbours Mouth.  Bellisle made her number at noon Bellisle joind from Plyh: in the Evening the Renommee frigate & Confounder Brig sent the Aetna & Confounder to Gibraltar.  All night very fresh Breezes NW & Rain.

['Bellisle' - Nelson was erratic in his spelling of Belleisle, of 74 guns, Capt. William Hargood.]

Friday Oct 11^th fresh Breezes NW.

Sunday Oct 12^th fresh Breezes NWesly keeping to the Westward Renomee Joined.

[Nelson crossed out 'Renomee Joined' himself.]

Wrote L^y: Hⁿ:

Sunday Oct 13^th 1805

L’aimable also joined who had likewise been chased Prince of Wales Sailed for England.

[The Prince of Wales (the ship, not the actual prince!) carried Vice-Admiral Robert Calder back to England to be disciplined after his failure to do everything he could to attack the French fleet at Cape Finisterre in July.  She was a 98-gun ship and was desperately needed by Nelson and his outnumbered fleet, but Nelson took pity on Calder and granted his request to return home in his flagship, rather than in a frigate, and thus retain some dignity.]

[Agamemnon: 64 guns, Capt. Edward Berry.  Nelson had commanded her himself from 1793-96, and had been rather fond of her.]

Monday Oct 14^th

Fine Weather Westerly Wind sent Amphion to Gibraltar & Algiers Enemy at the Harbours Mouth placed Defence & Agamemnon from Seven to Ten Leagues West of Cadiz and Mars & Colossus five Leagues East from the fleet whole station will be from 15 Lg^s: to twenty West of Cadiz and by this Chain I hope to have a constant communication with the frigates off Cadiz.

[Defence: 74 guns, Capt. George Hope.]

[Mars: 74 guns, Capt, George Duff.]

[Colossus: 74 guns, Capt. James Morris.]

Tuesday Oct 15^th fine W^t Westerly sent Renommee & L’aimable to Gibraltar & Malta and the transp^t to Gibt Adl Louis is order’d to see the Convoy above Cartagena & the frigates to escort them to Malta.  all night mod^e. Breez^s. Westerly

Wednesday Oct 16^th

Mod^te: Breezes Westerly all the forenoon Employd forming the fleet into the order of Sailing at noon fresh Breezes WSW & Squally in the Evening fresh gales Enemy as before, by Sigⁿ: from Weazel.

Thursday Oct 17^th 1805

Mod^e: Breezes NWerly Sent Donegal to Gibraltar to get a ground Tier of Casks.  Receivd accounts by the Diligent Store Ship that Sir Rich^d. Strachan was supposed in Sight of the French Rochford Squadron which I hope is true.  At Midnight the Wind came to the Eastward.

[Donegal: 80 guns, Capt. Pulteney Malcolm.]

[For some of these last entries, Nelson's excitement is illustrated by the harder press of his pen upon the paper.]

Friday Oct 18^th fine Weather Wind Easterly the Combined fleets cannot have finer W^t. to put to Sea. 

Saturday Oct 19^th fine Wt. Wind Easterly at ½ p^t: 9 the Mars being one of the look out Ships made the Signal that the Enemy were coming out of Port made the Signal for a general Chase SE.  Wind at South Cadiz bearing ESE by Compass distance 16 Leagues.  At three the Colossus made the Signal that the Enemy fleet was at Sea in the Evening made Sig^ls to Observe my motions during the night, for the Britannia Prince & Dreadnought they being heavy sailers to take Stations as Convenient and for Mars, Orion Bellisle Leviathan, Bellerophon & Polyphemus to go ahead during the Night and to carry a light Standing for the Streights Mouth

[Britannia: 100 guns, flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir William Carnegie, Earl of Northesk.]

[Prince: 98 guns, Capt. Richard Grindall.]

[Dreadnought: 98 guns, Capt. John Conn.]

[Orion: 74 guns, Capt. Edward Codrington.]

[Leviathan: 74 guns, Capt. Henry Boynton.]

[Bellerophon: 74 guns, Capt. John Cooke.]

[Polyphemus: 64 guns, Capt. Robert Redmill.]

['Streights': this is Nelson's misspelling of Straits.]

[Phoebe: 36-gun frigate, Capt. Thomas Capel.]

Sunday Oct 20^th 1805

Fresh Breezes SSW and rainy.  Communicated with Phoebe, Defence and Colossus, who saw near forty sail of ships of War outside of Cadiz yesterday evening, but the wind being Southerly they could not get to the Mouth of the Straits.  We were between Trafalgar and Cape Spartel.  The frigates made the signal that they saw 9 sail outside the Harbour; gave the Frigates instructions for their guidance, and placed Defence, Colossus and Mars between me and the Frigates.  At noon fresh gales and heavy rain, Cadiz NE 9 Leagues.  In the afternoon Captain Blackwood telegraphed that the Enemy seemed determined to go to the Westward; and that they shall not do if in the power of Nelson and Bronte to prevent them.

at 5 Telegraph’d Cap^t. B^d. that I rely’d upon his keeping sight of the Enemy at 5 o’Clock Naiad made the signal for 31 Sail of the Enemy NNE.  The frigates and Look out Ships kept sight of the Enemy most admirably all night and told me by Signals which tack they were upon.  At 8 We wore & stood to the SW and at 4am wore and stood to the NE.

This is Nelson's last diary entry, and is known as his 'Trafalgar Prayer'.

Monday Oct 21^st 1805

At day light saw the Enemys Combined Fleet from E to ESE bore away made the Signal for order of sailing and to prepare for Battle the Enemy with their heads to the Southward, at 7 the Enemy wearing in succession, May the Great God whom I worship Grant to my Country and for the benefit of Europe in General a great and Glorious Victory, and may no misconduct in any one tarnish it, and may humanity after Victory be the predominant feature in the British fleet, for myself individually I commit my Life to Him who made me, and may his blessing light upon my Endeavours for serving my Country faithfully.  To Him I resign myself and the just cause which is Entrusted to me to Defend.

amen, amen, amen.