Dumanoir escaped Trafalgar with several ships but was defeated at Cape Ortegal, where his flagship Formidable was captured and became HMS Brave. French losses were such that, at one point, more Tonnant-class 80-gun ships served in the Royal Navy than in the French Navy. Dumanoir's own record contained no major battle before these events and little ship-to-ship action. His advancement has often been attributed to family influence, but that explanation remains incomplete. In an officer corps short of more seasoned men, remaining alive, staying in service, and possessing more experience than the available alternatives could be enough to rise.
Chapter · 14:27-16:46
Dumanoir, Cape Ortegal, and the experience gap
Dumanoir's defeat after Trafalgar and his thin combat record show how survival and limited alternatives could carry an officer into senior command.