The Fighting Temeraire

Today 220 years ago the Battle of Trafalgar took place, and i wanted to share this painting by Turner “The Fighting Temeraire”.

The Temeraire took part in a critical action during the battle. The flagship Victory was tied in a duel with two French ships; the Redoubtable and the Fougueux - an action which led to Nelson’s mortal wound from a French sniper. The ship was about to be overwhelmed with the Redoubtable pulling alongside the Victory to take her.

Temeraire was behind the Victory in the line and came to the rescue. She pulled alongside Redoutable’s other side, sandwiching the French ship between herself and Victory. At the same time she engaged Fougueux on her starboard side. Now fighting two ships at once, Temeraire poured a hailstorm of shot into both. The ships were so close that gun crews could see into each others’ gunports.

Every broadside was devastating. For three hours Temeraire’s guns fired until they glowed red hot. Eventually, with three quarters of the Redoubtable’s crew killed or wounded, both French ships struck their colours and were taken as prizes.

Now to the painting. Here is that heroic ship, her sails gone, her masts empty, towed by a squat beetle-like steamer on the way to be broken up for scrap. The year is 1839, and the sun is setting. The age of romance and heroism is gone, as the industrial revolution puts smoke in the sky.