A wind change on 24 July placed the Franco-Spanish fleet to windward, giving it the initiative to attack Calder. Villeneuve instead turned south, angering Gravina after the Spanish had already lost two ships. Gravina might have fought Calder more effectively, but even an allied victory could have left damaged, slow ships exposed to Nelson racing north from Gibraltar. The weather gauge offered a tactical opportunity while Britain's multiple aggressive squadrons created a larger operational danger.
Chapter · 44:31-46:13
The weather gauge and Villeneuve's withdrawal
The combined fleet gained the windward position on 24 July but turned away, balancing a possible tactical success against damage and the danger of Nelson's arrival.