On 21st October (what the British now call Trafalgar Day) 1805, 33 Royal Navy ships did battle with a force of 41 French and Spanish ships off Cape Trafalgar, Spain.
Despite being outnumbered, the well-trained British comprehensively defeated the poorly-trained French and Spanish.
2,218 Frenchmen and 1,025 Spaniards were killed, compared to just 458 Britons. In addition, the British captured 21 French and Spanish ships and destroyed one.
The British commander, Horatio Nelson, was killed at the battle, but the victory once again confirmed Britain's global naval superiority (at the time, the Royal Navy was over three times the size of the modern day US Navy).
Now, a Union Jack that saw action in that battle over 200 years ago has been uncovered and is expected to make £15,000 at auction.
The flag, that is peppered with holes from splinter fragments, was presented to lieutenant James Clephan after the battle as an award.
Britain's national flag is supposed to be only named the Union Jack when it is flown on a ship, and is named the Union Flag at every other time (though most people only call it the Union Jack).
The last surviving Union Jack from the Battle of Trafalgar expected to make £15,000 at auction
By Daily Mail Reporter
08th October 2009
Daily Mail
Horatio Nelson
The only surviving Union Jack that flew at the Battle of Trafalgar has been uncovered for the first time in more than 200 years.
The flag, that is peppered with holes from splinter fragments, was presented to a popular Scots sailor, lieutenant James Clephan, after the historic battle as an award.
Clephan, from Fife, achieved the extraordinary feat of rising through the ranks after being press-ganged into the Royal Navy and eventually became a captain of his own ship - one of only 16 out of about 300,000 sailors forced into the navy to do so.
Survivor: This historic union flag is the last remaining of those that were flown at the Battle of Trafalgar
The men on board his ship at Trafalgar, the Spartiate, had made the flag from 31 bunting panels and gave it to him afterwards. It was the biggest compliment they could pay.
It remained in his Scottish family ever since but is now being sold at auction, with a pre-sale estimate of 15,000 pounds.
BRITANNIA RULED THE WAVES
At the time of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, there were 912 ships in the Royal Navy . The world's largest navy today, the US Navy, has just 280 ships. The hulls of Royal Navy ships were plated with copper, which prevented marine growth such as barnacles which slowed down ships. The hulls of Continental European ships were not copper plated, so British ships were able to spend much longer periods at sea.
The battle-scarred 11ft by 7ft flag is riddled with holes and the auctioneer selling it believes it even has the waft of gunpowder attached to it.
Charles Miller, who is selling the historic item on Trafalgar Day, October 21, said: 'We believe it is the only existing flag that flew at Trafalgar.
'It is one of the most important, historical items any collector could expect to handle.
'The damage is probably from bullet holes or splinter fragments, but despite all this it is in amazing condition.
'You can still even detect the smell that is ingrained within it.'
Enlarge
Mighty battle: This 1875 painting by John Callow shows a scene from the Battle of Trafalgar, which took place in 1805. The historic flag was presented to Lieutenant Clephan for his bravery in this conflict
How the British fleet attacked the combined Spanish and French fleets at 1200 hours
Clephan began life as a weaver and after that industry suffered went into the merchant navy from where he was press-ganged in 1794 aged 26.
He was made a midshipman in 1801 and rose to lieutenant later that year for distinguishing himself in the successful capture of the French ship Chevrette.
The ship was thought to be in an impregnable position but it was taken by the British with Clephan being first to climb aboard her.
Gods, mythical creatures and the male inhabitants of Sparta. Here are the names of the Royal Navy ships which fought at Trafalgar:
Victory, Temeraire, Neptune, Leviathan, Britannia, Conqueror, Africa, Agamemnon, Ajax, Orion, Minotaur, Spartiate, Royal Sovereign, Belleisle, Mars, Tonnant, Bellerophon, Colossus, Achille, Dreadnought, Polyphemus, Revenge, Swiftsure, Defiance, Thunderer, Defence, Prince, Euryalis, Naiad, Phoebe, Sirius, Pickle, Entreprenante
At Trafalgar Clephan was on board the Spartiate, another French ship the British had captured at the Battle of the Nile and from where the shot that blinded Nelson in his right eye was fired.
Clephan put in such a fearless performance during the battle, that he was immediately promoted to first lieutenant.
By the time of his retirement in 1840 he had risen to the rank of captain and had a glorious career behind him.
He retired to live in Edinburgh where he died in 1851 aged 83.
A ship-by-ship breakdown of British casualties incurred during the battle
The Spanish and French ships came off much worse, with some losing more than 80 per cent of their crew
The flag was treasured by his family and was kept for years in a darkened drawer to preserve it.
It was very nearly ruined in the 1950s when Clephan's relatives attempted to give it to a Scottish cathedral to hang up, which would have destroyed it.
Mr Miller, of London auctioneers Charles Miller Ltd, said: 'Clephan is a remarkable and charismatic survivor from the great age of Georgian sail.
'It was an incredible achievement for someone who had been pressed.
'During the 22 years the Napoleonic Wars lasted, it is estimated that around 600,000 seaman served the Royal Navy, of which considerable numbers were impressed.
'The chances of a member of the lower decks making officer were remote, however around 200 did so, and of those, about 16 became captains.
'The Spartiate crew of 540 men and thought so highly of him that they gave him the flag that was sewn on board the ship.'
dailymail.co.uk
Despite being outnumbered, the well-trained British comprehensively defeated the poorly-trained French and Spanish.
2,218 Frenchmen and 1,025 Spaniards were killed, compared to just 458 Britons. In addition, the British captured 21 French and Spanish ships and destroyed one.
The British commander, Horatio Nelson, was killed at the battle, but the victory once again confirmed Britain's global naval superiority (at the time, the Royal Navy was over three times the size of the modern day US Navy).
Now, a Union Jack that saw action in that battle over 200 years ago has been uncovered and is expected to make £15,000 at auction.
The flag, that is peppered with holes from splinter fragments, was presented to lieutenant James Clephan after the battle as an award.
Britain's national flag is supposed to be only named the Union Jack when it is flown on a ship, and is named the Union Flag at every other time (though most people only call it the Union Jack).
The last surviving Union Jack from the Battle of Trafalgar expected to make £15,000 at auction
By Daily Mail Reporter
08th October 2009
Daily Mail
Horatio Nelson
The only surviving Union Jack that flew at the Battle of Trafalgar has been uncovered for the first time in more than 200 years.
The flag, that is peppered with holes from splinter fragments, was presented to a popular Scots sailor, lieutenant James Clephan, after the historic battle as an award.
Clephan, from Fife, achieved the extraordinary feat of rising through the ranks after being press-ganged into the Royal Navy and eventually became a captain of his own ship - one of only 16 out of about 300,000 sailors forced into the navy to do so.
Survivor: This historic union flag is the last remaining of those that were flown at the Battle of Trafalgar
The men on board his ship at Trafalgar, the Spartiate, had made the flag from 31 bunting panels and gave it to him afterwards. It was the biggest compliment they could pay.
It remained in his Scottish family ever since but is now being sold at auction, with a pre-sale estimate of 15,000 pounds.
BRITANNIA RULED THE WAVES
At the time of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, there were 912 ships in the Royal Navy . The world's largest navy today, the US Navy, has just 280 ships. The hulls of Royal Navy ships were plated with copper, which prevented marine growth such as barnacles which slowed down ships. The hulls of Continental European ships were not copper plated, so British ships were able to spend much longer periods at sea.
The battle-scarred 11ft by 7ft flag is riddled with holes and the auctioneer selling it believes it even has the waft of gunpowder attached to it.
Charles Miller, who is selling the historic item on Trafalgar Day, October 21, said: 'We believe it is the only existing flag that flew at Trafalgar.
'It is one of the most important, historical items any collector could expect to handle.
'The damage is probably from bullet holes or splinter fragments, but despite all this it is in amazing condition.
'You can still even detect the smell that is ingrained within it.'
Enlarge
Mighty battle: This 1875 painting by John Callow shows a scene from the Battle of Trafalgar, which took place in 1805. The historic flag was presented to Lieutenant Clephan for his bravery in this conflict
How the British fleet attacked the combined Spanish and French fleets at 1200 hours
Clephan began life as a weaver and after that industry suffered went into the merchant navy from where he was press-ganged in 1794 aged 26.
He was made a midshipman in 1801 and rose to lieutenant later that year for distinguishing himself in the successful capture of the French ship Chevrette.
The ship was thought to be in an impregnable position but it was taken by the British with Clephan being first to climb aboard her.
Gods, mythical creatures and the male inhabitants of Sparta. Here are the names of the Royal Navy ships which fought at Trafalgar:
Victory, Temeraire, Neptune, Leviathan, Britannia, Conqueror, Africa, Agamemnon, Ajax, Orion, Minotaur, Spartiate, Royal Sovereign, Belleisle, Mars, Tonnant, Bellerophon, Colossus, Achille, Dreadnought, Polyphemus, Revenge, Swiftsure, Defiance, Thunderer, Defence, Prince, Euryalis, Naiad, Phoebe, Sirius, Pickle, Entreprenante
At Trafalgar Clephan was on board the Spartiate, another French ship the British had captured at the Battle of the Nile and from where the shot that blinded Nelson in his right eye was fired.
Clephan put in such a fearless performance during the battle, that he was immediately promoted to first lieutenant.
By the time of his retirement in 1840 he had risen to the rank of captain and had a glorious career behind him.
He retired to live in Edinburgh where he died in 1851 aged 83.
A ship-by-ship breakdown of British casualties incurred during the battle
The Spanish and French ships came off much worse, with some losing more than 80 per cent of their crew
The flag was treasured by his family and was kept for years in a darkened drawer to preserve it.
It was very nearly ruined in the 1950s when Clephan's relatives attempted to give it to a Scottish cathedral to hang up, which would have destroyed it.
Mr Miller, of London auctioneers Charles Miller Ltd, said: 'Clephan is a remarkable and charismatic survivor from the great age of Georgian sail.
'It was an incredible achievement for someone who had been pressed.
'During the 22 years the Napoleonic Wars lasted, it is estimated that around 600,000 seaman served the Royal Navy, of which considerable numbers were impressed.
'The chances of a member of the lower decks making officer were remote, however around 200 did so, and of those, about 16 became captains.
'The Spartiate crew of 540 men and thought so highly of him that they gave him the flag that was sewn on board the ship.'
dailymail.co.uk
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