"Royal Sovereign - First through the Line; Trafalgar"

Signed & Numbered Limited Edition Print

Edition of 500, which included 45 Remarques &5 Special Remarques

Image size: 16 x 24 1/2 inches (41 x 62 cms)

Framed size:25 x 33 1/2 inches (63.5 x 85 cm) (approximate)

The Lee Column at Trafalgar was led by Admiral Collingwood in Royal Sovereign, 100 guns. Sometimes overshadowed by the concentraton on Victory and Nelson leading the Weather Column, Royal Sovereign (known by her crew as the 'West Country Wagon') in fact reached the enemy fleet first of all the British ships.

Breaking the line behind the beautiful Spanish ship Santa Anna, Royal Sovereign let loose a devastating broadside into the vulnerable stern of the Spaniard. As the two evenly matched vessels came against each-other the Santa Anna returned an equally brutal broadside and so started a battle that would last over five hours. The next British ship was the Belleisle (seen right in the picture) which came under a fierce barrage of cannon and shot unleashed from every French and Spaniard that was in range of her, killing at least fifty of the crew before they too could engage the enemy. Slowly the two sides were engulfed in smoke as more ships joined the battle at the isolated rear of the combined fleet. The skill and seamanship of the British crews slowly started to win the battle of brutal attrition. Victorious, they were unaware that in the northern column their great leader Vice Admiral Lord Nelson had fallen and were only informed of his death as the battle came to a close. Collingwood, grief-stricken at the news, was left to organise the many prizes and badly damaged ships under his command. Vulnerable to fresh attack and close to the enemy shore they would soon be engulfed by a terrible storm that would last for several days.