Q&A ยท 28:33-29:11

French and Spanish morale were not the same

Separate French morale problems from the stronger opposition a Spanish fleet under Gravina might have offered.

Question

Was poor morale a common weakness across the Franco-Spanish fleet?

Short answer

No. French morale was very poor, while an entirely Spanish fleet under Gravina might have given Nelson a much harder fight.

Notes

French morale was very poor, but the Spanish ships should not be placed in the same category. In the counterfactual of an entirely Spanish fleet under Gravina, Nelson might have faced a substantially harder fight.