As Collingwood concentrated on preserving damaged British ships, a Franco-Spanish sortie from Cádiz attempted to recover prizes. French vessels took Santa Ana and Neptuno in tow, while Spanish prisoners aboard captured ships overpowered the smaller British prize crews. Santa Ana reached port after Royal Sovereign's gunfire had left her badly damaged, but Neptuno was wrecked in the gale. Indomptable also went down with around 1,200 people aboard, with only about 100 reported saved. Captured warships remained fragile assets because disabled hulls and rigs, thin guard detachments, enemy intervention, and worsening weather could reverse a tactical gain.
Notable Point · 41:20-43:17
Why Trafalgar's captured ships changed hands again
An enemy sortie, small British prize crews, damaged rigs, and the storm allow Santa Ana and Neptuno to be retaken before weather destroys much of the recovered force.