Title: Trafalgar: Countdown to Battle 1803-1805
Author: Alan Schom
ISBN: 9-780-7-18131-99-9
Publisher: Michael Joseph Publishing
Year: 1990
Hardcover
Pages: 421
Photos/Maps: 55/16
Trafalgar has achieved such a level of renown and legend
that it still, 212 years after it occurred, resonates in the annals of British
and Royal Navy history. Lord Nelson, the British Commander at the Battle, is
still recognized as being one of the finest Naval Commanders in British
history. Schom’s book acknowledges Trafalgar’s pride of place and the skill of
Nelson and his crews in literally ‘securing’ the shores of England from
invasion; however, his book goes much further than his and places the Battle
within the larger context of the period and the events leading up to that
fateful confrontation. This is critical in that it presents Trafalgar not as a
standalone event, significant as it was, but as a logical conclusion (the
Battle itself, not the outcome) of English and, more importantly, French policy
from the period 1803 onwards.
The political battle of wills, both internally and
externally, between the nations of England and France are traced with a clarity
of understanding without being bogged down in excess detail. The importance of
the ‘personality’ as opposed to solely the political acumen of the main players
is made patently obvious. Schom’s explanation of the roles of Addington, Pitt,
St Vincent, Cornwallis and a host of other secondary but nonetheless key
English individuals, in the battle of wills with France, is fascinating as the
reader begins to appreciate the pettiness, insight, vision and jealousies of
the players and the expanse of the domestic, let alone international, wars that
were raging at this time.
Conversely, the French are also analyzed with the same
keen eye. The main difference in their case is the overwhelming role that
Napoleon plays in the direction of the French Imperial (and by extension Spanish)
policy towards England. What quickly becomes apparent in the French case, is
the capacity for the entirety of the resources of the Empire to be focused
towards the realization of the Emperor’s dream of crushing England. Schom also
adroitly makes clear the challenges not readily apparent to a casual observer,
that being the ability to build ships does not an effective Navy make. The loss
of the cream of the French Naval Officers during the Revolution left France
with a dearth of experienced and capable officers. This shortage, more than
anything else, provided the French Navy with its Achilles Heel. That, and their
arrogance and disdain for their Spanish allies.
Schom culminates his book with a detailed study of the
Battle itself. It is clear that victory was never a sure thing for the English
as the French and Spanish Captains and crews, for the most part fought, with a
determination and ferocity never before witnessed by the British. For all of
his shortcomings (and there were many) the Combined Fleet Admiral, Villeneuve,
in the end led his fleet into battle. Indeed, the battle may have ended very differently
were it not for the apparent cowardice of the French Rear-Admiral Dumanoir who
commanded the lead division of 10 French and Spanish ships and who deliberately
sailed past and away from the battle, despite being ordered to engage and
within sight of French, Spanish and British ships in active combat, thereby
reducing the Combined Fleet by almost a third.
Schom’s book is an excellent rendition and analysis of
this period. It highlights the very real threat posed by Napoleon to England
and the closeness with which she avoided invasion. The expanse of his narrative
and the style with which he delivers his story is insightful, enlightening and
captivating. His approach is very balanced and candidly reveals the strengths
and flaws the main characters involved. This book is strongly recommended.
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