''Bucentaure'' was an 86-gun

ship of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactics in the Age of Sail, naval tactic known as the line of battl ...

of the

French Navy The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...

, and the

lead ship The lead ship, name ship, or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships that are all constructed according to the same general design. The term is applicable to naval ships and large civilian vessels. Large ships are very comple ...

of her class. She was the

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

Vice-Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of vic ...

Latouche Tréville, who died on board on 18 August 1804, and later of Vice-Admiral

Pierre-Charles Villeneuve Pierre-Charles-Jean-Baptiste-Silvestre de Villeneuve (; 31 December 1763 – 22 April 1806) was a French Navy officer who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He was in command of a French and Spanish fleet which was ...

as the flagship of the Franco-Spanish fleet at the

Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar was a naval engagement that took place on 21 October 1805 between the Royal Navy and a combined fleet of the French Navy, French and Spanish Navy, Spanish navies during the War of the Third Coalition. As part of Na ...

''Bucentaure'' was named after the Venetian state barge '' Bucintoro'' which was destroyed by

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

after the

fall of the Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice was dissolved and dismembered by the French general Napoleon Bonaparte and the Habsburg monarchy on 12 May 1797, ending approximately 1,100 years of its existence. It was the final action of Napoleon's Italian campaign ...

in 1797. While the Venetian name is of uncertain etymology. (it may have originated in the bucinatores aboard who blew their instruments to herald the arrival of the

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), the French ''Bucentaure''s figurehead depicted a : a mythical, centaur-like creature with the body of a bull and the head of a man. Vice-Admiral Villeneuve hoisted his flag on 6 November 1804. ''Bucentaure'' hosted the Franco-Spanish war council while sheltered from the British fleet at Cadiz. The vote was to remain in safe waters (a decision later overruled by Admiral Villeneuve) During the council, Spanish general Antonio de Escaño complained that the atmospheric pressure was descending (a sign of approaching storms). French vice-admiral Charles René Magon de Médine famously retorted "the thing descending here is braveness". This offended Admiral Federico Gravina and other Spanish officers, who did not oppose later the imprudent order of taking to sea. At the

, on 21 October 1805, she was commanded by Captain Jean-Jacques Magendie. Admiral

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

's , leading the weather column of the British fleet, broke the French line just astern of ''Bucentaure'' and just ahead of . ''Victory'' raked her less-protected stern and the vessel lost 197 men and 85 were wounded (including Captain Magendie); the surgeon on board was Dr. Textoris, the squadron's Chief Medical Officer. Admiral Villeneuve was lucky to survive, but this effectively put ''Bucentaure'' out of most of the fight. After three hours of fighting, she surrendered to Captain James Atcherly of the

Marines Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included Raid (military), raiding ashor ...

from . Villeneuve is supposed to have asked to whom he was surrendering. On being told it was Captain Pellew, he replied, "There is no shame in surrendering to the gallant Sir

Edward Pellew Admiral Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth, GCB (19 April 1757 – 23 January 1833) was a Royal Navy officer and politician. He fought during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars, and the Napoleonic Wars. His younge ...

." When he was informed that the ''Conqueror''s captain ( Israel Pellew) was Sir Edward's brother, he said, "England is fortunate to have two such brothers." A prize crew of 71 was sent aboard and a tow line passed but this parted as soon as sail was set and both vessels drifted towards the shore during the night. On the morning of 22 October, the ''Conqueror'' re-established the tow but, close by a lee shore with the weather deteriorating, she soon decided to leave her prize. That evening the captured French officers were able to persuade the heavily outnumbered prize crew to surrender and the combined crews managed to set sail for nearby Cadiz. The Spanish pilot aboard missed the harbour entrance in the stormy dark and at 8:15p.m. the ''Bucentaure'' hit rocks near the Santa Catalina fort. Efforts during the night to save the ship failed and the crew were evacuated by boat before the hull of the ''Bucentaure'' submerged on the afternoon of the 23rd. Her French crew mostly went aboard the '' Indomptable'' and drowned when she too sank on the night of 25/26 October.

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bucentaure Ships of the line of the French Navy Ships built in France Shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean Bucentaure-class ships of the line 1803 ships Maritime incidents in 1805 Captured ships Napoleonic-era ships