Q&A ยท 1:18:36-1:19:11

How Howard of Effingham might have attacked at Trafalgar

A counterfactual places Howard of Effingham in Nelson's command and considers a general advance by the fleet.

Question

What might Howard of Effingham have done in Nelson's place?

Short answer

He would probably have sought a decisive attack, perhaps advancing the whole fleet in line abreast rather than using Nelson's columns.

Notes

The proposed comparison gives Howard of Effingham an aggressive approach to the enemy. Learning from Nelson's experience could have led him towards a column attack. A general attack with the whole fleet advancing in line abreast is offered as another possibility. Neither formation is presented as a certain prediction of what he would have done.