Nelson’s 1805 Battle Plan for the Trafalgar captains. Although the paper is undated the just a position of these names suggest that the notes must have been written in 1805. It is possible that the notes were written on board the Victory for the use by Nelson’s secretary in the preparation of routine letters. It is appears fair to assume that these notes were in fact jotted down as an aide memoire, prior to one of Nelson’s frequent meetings at the Admiralty or Navy Board during his period of leave in August / September 1805.
The sketch appears to be in two halves; the division between the two being marked by the thin horizontal line. In the lower half, the enemy fleet is represented by the continuous thick diagonal line. The British fleet can be seen first forming into three divisions on the left of the page and then cutting the enemy line in two places; while the third division 'contains’ part of the enemy line by ranging alongside it. It is even possible to sense the fervour with which Nelson has demonstrated the cutting of the centre of the enemy line – his pen has dug deeply into the paper and the ink has flowed thickly.
The upper diagram is less easy to interpret. One theory is that it may be intended to show how an attack by ships only in a single line (represented by the diagonal row of dots) could easily be countered by the enemy, if they altered their course, so as to take their attackers between two fires. Further research is being undertaken to test this theory.