MONDAY 21st OCTOBER 1805
5.40 am. saw the enemy to leeward. 6.30. Wore ship and made sail. 7.30. beat to quarters, at 8. bearing down on enemy in company with the Fleet. 9.30. Captain went on board Victory, repeated signals from the Flagship. At noon. British van nearly in Gun range of the Enemy's center. Light breezes and hazy.
At 5 minutes past noon. observed the enemy's centre commence firing at our van ships. Shortly after which the Royal Sovereign commenced firing. Repeated No 16. Came round on the Stb'd tack. At 17 min past noon the Victory commenced firing. 30 min past noon the Royal Sovereign and several of HM Ships closely engaged with enemy. At 1 10 pm observed No 269 made to Ajax. 1.45. obs'd 2 French line of battle ships strike their colours. 1.55. obs'd a French ship, supposed to be Bucentaure with her main and mizzen mast shot away. At 2 a Spanish 3 decker Santa Anna totally dismasted. 2.18 a Spanish line battle ship with English colours over Spanish. 2.25. obs'd three line battleships with the Union Jack over their Spanish Ensigns. 2.29. The Royal Sovereign made Signal for the Euryalus to tow. 2.30. the Spanish 4 Decker totally dismasted. 2.40. Repeated the signal to take a ship in tow. At 3 answ'd No 238 from Euryalus. 3.10. repeated No 101 from Victory. 3.32. answ'd No 106 (1) 3.35. repeated the Defence signal to tack. At 4 sent over carpenter on board a prize in want of a ***, obs'd Achille 80 gns on fire; sent 10 marines on board a Line Battleship ' Prize. 5. repeated No 101; at 5.4. eleven of the Enemy's ships steering NE , Sails set. 5.5. a Spanish Line of Battleship struck to HMS Minotaur. 5.10. The Enemy's Ships ceased firing