Digby’s Trafalgar

Some years ago whilst at the National Maritime Museum I visited the Nelson Gallery where there was a computer terminal at which you could enter your family name and see if there was anyone of the same name who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar. The person it came up with was Captain Henry Digby.

I did no more about it until recently when it became possible to research using the internet. This in turn led to visits to The National Archives and The Caird Library at the NMM. The following is a summary of what I have found out so far.

The Man

Henry Digby was born at Bath in 1770. He had no wish to follow his father, the Dean of Worchester, into the Church and so joined the navy in 1783 at the age of thirteen. Having both good family connections, his uncle being Admiral Robert Digby, and an adventurous and courageous attitude he rose quickly through the ranks. In 1795 whilst holding the rank of Second Lieutenant he led a daring rescue party to save the crew of a blazing vessel off Spithead, which was made particularly dangerous as the loaded guns on board were exploding. Within three weeks he was appointed a First Lieutenant and in three months was given command of a fire ship! In 1796 he was made Post Captain and given command of a frigate. This saw the start of a period where Captain Digby made several valuable captures. The most famous was whilst commanding the frigate Alcmene when in conjunction with two other vessels he captured the Spanish treasure ship Santa Brigada. On returning to Plymouth it required fifty military wagons to move the spoils from the docks to the Citadel. His share of the prize money amounted to a staggering £40,730 18s 3¼d. By the time he was 36 his prize money totalled over £63,000. A Captain’s salary at the time would have been less than £200 per annum.

The Ship

HMS Africa was the name of the ship Captain Henry Digby commanded at Trafalgar. The ship was a 3^rd Rate Ship of the Line having 64 guns on two decks. It was one of the smallest to take part in the battle. She was built by Master Shipwright William Barnard at the Grove Street Yard in Deptford. She was ordered by the Navy Board on 11^th February 1778 and launched 11^th April 1781, twenty-three days over contract. During 1783 she served with the British Squadron in the Indian Ocean and in the 1790’s she was stationed in both the West Indies and the Channel. After Trafalgar the ship found itself serving in both the Baltic and North America. She was finally broken-up at Portsmouth in May 1814.

The Battle

With a battle looming between the English and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Captain Henry Digby was given command of the ship HMS Africa on 3^rd August 1805 at Northfleet on the Thames. From the detail of his log he noted that in addition to provisions being taken on board several tons of ballast were loaded using the employment of Greenwich Pensioners. This may indicate that the ship had undergone a recent refit.

He then sailed, passing the Isle of Sheppey on the 27^th September then heading west along the English Channel. His destination was Torbay, a regular holding point and site of refuge during bad weather. He sailed from there, under orders, on the 3^rd October heading west to meet up with Nelson and the rest of the Battle Fleet off Cadiz. During the next few days they cruised out of sight of the shore whilst a couple of frigates tried to tempt the enemy out. Unfortunately Admiral Villeneuve, its commander, knew Nelson was out there and was not prepared to commit his combined fleet to a battle. Eventually he decided to make a dash for the Mediterranean and that was when Nelson pounced.

During the night before the battle HMS Africa lost contact with the rest of the fleet. (One report said that he got lost in the fog, but I don’t believe that as Captain Digby reported in his log that he observed flashes of guns and several rockets). Come the morning of the 21^st of October, with light winds Nelson commenced his attack. Captain Digby now found himself someway off to the west of both his and the enemies fleets.

Nelson’s battle plan was to break through the enemy’s line with two columns,(the Nelson touch), one led by Admiral Collingwood the other by Nelson himself. HMS Africa was now heading to pass along the enemy van (at right angles to the two British columns) when he received a signal from Nelson to rejoin the rest of the fleet, “making all possible sail”. This was deliberately misread by Captain Digby to read “Engage the enemy more closely”. Just the sort of thing Nelson himself would have done. The Africa engaged the headmost ship of the enemies van, a Spanish 2 decker (Neptuno, 80 guns) bearing the flag of an Admiral and engaged the whole of the enemies van line. Passing down the enemy line trading broadsides with every ship he passed, all carrying far more guns the Africa.

He then bore down to the assistance of the Neptune (English 98 guns), which had commenced an engagement with the Santisima Trinidad (Spanish130 guns), thought to be the world’s largest ship. Letting fly a broadside into the Santisima Trinidad he joined in the mêlée of ships around the Victory.

The general tactics of the French and Spanish fleets was to fire high into the rigging thereby disabling a ship and allowing them to close on it and overwhelm them with a large boarding party. But Nelson wanted to annihilate the enemy and so the British were firing into the body of the ship attempting to rake the ship from stem to stern. British ships had a higher rate of fire, due to regular practice. The gunners were also efficient at assessing the amount of charge required to ensure a cannon ball did not pass right through both sides of a vessel but enter one side and still retain enough energy to ricochet around the interior causing as much damage as possible. The shockwave of a near passing cannon ball is enough to kill a man (or woman) without leaving a mark on their body.

The Santisima Trinidad was severely damaged, with rigging and sails hanging over its side. The fighting ceased and she was reported to have struck her colours (the signal of surrender). Captain Digby then sent Lieutenant Smith with a party to take charge of her. He was courteously received by the Spanish who pointed out they had not surrendered, had no intention of doing so, and had merely paused in firing to supply more powder to the guns. Lieutenant Smith returned to the Africa. In fact the Santisima Trinidad took no further part in the battle.

Captain Digby moved on to seek other opponents and observing a French 2 decker making off, made sail after her. This ship proved to be the L’Intépide (French 74 guns). Brought her to action, her mizzen and top mast went overboard and the Orion (English 74 guns) came to the Africa’s assistance. The Intépide then struck to the Orion who took charge of her. The Africa now finding her masts very much wounded and main topsail yards shot away and also a great part of her standing and running rigging. Observing 19 sail of enemy ships standing away the Africa was so much disabled that she could not follow them. So ended Africa’s part in the battle. Her butcher’s bill being 18 killed and 44 wounded.

The Storm

The following day saw a change in the weather with fresh gales coming in from the Atlantic. The crew of the Africa had no time to rest as they were employed splicing and knotting the rigging. The gales increased. It became squally with thunder and lightening lasting several days. During this time the ship began labouring very much. The main mast went away about 12ft from the deck which took away the fore and fore topsail yards. The mizzen mast then went loosing a boat from each quarter deck. This was followed by the fore mast which went in three pieces. Captain Digby made the signal of being in distress. In order to ease the ship aft they then hove overboard four 18 pounder guns and four 32 pounder carronades.

Signalling the Conqueror (English 74 guns) the Africa was taken in tow, but was soon cut off in consequence of being taken aback. The jib boom was then carried away by the storm. As the storm eased she was again taken in tow by the Conqueror. As soon as the weather allowed the main mast was jury rigged .

The Aftermath

Eventually nine days after the battle HMS Africa arrived at the Rock of Gibraltar. Here they were able to make repairs and send to the hospital an injured midshipman, 9 seamen and 3 marines. After several days of repairs the Africa set sail with six other ships to return to England. The journey was subject to more gales with the ship labouring very much, loosing sight of the other ships in the squadron. After what must have been a long hard journey lasting 25 days Captain Digby and HMS Africa arrived at Spithead and eventually sailed into Portsmouth Harbour where extensive repairs were carried out.

For his part in the Battle of Trafalgar Captain Henry Digby received the gold medal, the thanks of Parliament and a sword of honour from the Patriotic Fund.

He was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1819, Vice Admiral in 1830 and Admiral in 1841. From 1840 to 1841 he was appointed Commander in Chief at Sheerness. He died in 1842 in Minterne Magna in Dorset.

Sources of information:

HMS Africa ships log – TNA ref. ADM 51/1518 (actual wording used printed in itallics)

HMS Africa ship’s Muster – TNA ref. ADM 37/99

John Mason Letter – NMM ref. AGC/M/9

Building Britons Wooden Walls – The Barnard Dynasty 1697-1851 – John E Barnard

Trafalgar the men, the battle, the storm – Tim Clayton & Phil Craig

Trafalgar – John Terraine

Trafalgar The Biography of a Battle – Roy Adkins

The Dorset Coast Forum – www.dorsetforyou.com

Trafalgar Woods – www.treeforall.org.uk

Nelson Society – www.nelson-society.org.uk

Kevin’s Place – http://home.gci.net/~stall/