Collingwood commanded from the 100-gun HMS Royal Sovereign and held the lower Vice Admiral of the Blue rank. That colour placed him beneath Nelson when their forces joined and made the succession of command unambiguous. His long experience lay in blockading forces, while Nelson had more often held mobile commands. Blockade duty was equally taxing, although it called for a different temperament and service record. Collingwood had performed well when battle came and was trusted as a dependable fleet commander.
Notable Point · 9:19-11:07
Collingwood and the blockading-fleet command
Cuthbert Collingwood's long blockade service made him a dependable second-in-command when his force joined Nelson's more mobile fleet.