The 1781 HMS Africa was a 64-gun Inflexible class ship based on John Williams's adaptation of Thomas Slade's larger Albion design. Her career included Cuddalore as well as Trafalgar, and she remained in service until being broken up in May 1814. At Trafalgar, Henry Digby's independent approach is sometimes explained as a misreading of Nelson's signal. The alternative interpretation offered here is that Digby deliberately chose a course that would bring Africa into action instead of leaving her at the back of a British column. She exchanged fire with Santísima Trinidad, fought the French Intrépide for about forty minutes, lost a mast, and suffered sixty-two casualties. Africa was still trying to engage after the battle and had to be towed to safety by HMS Conqueror. Her later service included a sixty-hour pursuit of USS Constitution. Roughly thirty-three years of service contrasts with her predecessor's thirteen-year career.
Chapter · 45:59-53:13
HMS Africa's independent fight at Trafalgar
The second HMS Africa sailed down the Franco-Spanish line alone at Trafalgar, survived a hard fight, and later helped chase USS Constitution.