fect, I ordered the ship to be wore, and passing
between the Diadem and Excellent, at a quarter past one o'clock, was
engaged with the headmost, and of course leewardmost of the Spanish
division. The ships which I know were, the Santissima Trinidad, 126;
San Josef, 112;[1] Salvador del Mundo, 112;[1] San Nicolas, 80;[44]
another first-rate, and seventy-four, names not known. I was
immediately joined and most nobly supported by the Culloden, Captain
Troubridge. The Spanish fleet,[45] from not wishing (I suppose) to
have a decisive battle, hauled to the wind [again] on the larboard
tack, which brought the ships afore-mentioned to be the leewardmost
and sternmost ships in their fleet."

By this spontaneous and sudden act, for which he had no authority, by
signal or otherwise, except his own judgment and quick perceptions,
Nelson entirely defeated the Spanish movement. Devoting his own ship
to a most unequal contest, he gained time for the approaching British
van to come up, and carry on the work they had already begun when
first passing these ships--before the moment of tacking. The British
column being then in a V shape,--part on one tack, part on the other,
the point of the V being that of tacking,--he hastened across, by a
short cut, from the rear of one arm of the V to a position on the
other side, toward which the van was advancing, but which it, being
more distant, could not reach as soon as he, and therefore not to as
good effect. To quote Jervis's words concerning this incident,
"Commodore Nelson, who was in the rear on the starboard tack, _took
the lead_ on the larboard, and contributed very much to the fortune of
the day." On the intellectual side, the side of skill, this is what he
did; on the side of valor, it is to be said that he did it for the
moment single-handed. The "Culloden," the actual leader, came up
shortly, followed afterwards by the "Blenheim;" and the "Excellent"
was ordered by Jervis to imitate Nelson's movement, and strengthen the
operation which he had initiated. It was the concentration of these
ships at the point which Nelson seized, and for a moment held alone,
that decided the day; and it was there that the fruits of victory were
chiefly reaped.

It must not be understood, of course, that all the honors of the day
are to be claimed for Nelson, even conjointly with those present with
him at the crucial moment. Much was done, both before and after, which
contributed materially to the aggreg