Strait of Gibraltar — Strategic Waterway

Generated illustration. Not a historical photograph. The strait from the Atlantic approaches. Not a garrison portrait.

Overview

The strait is already on Cape Trafalgar — Geography. The cape marks where the Atlantic meets the approaches to the strait. On 21 October 1805 Nelson intercepted Villeneuve Pierre-Charles — French Admiral as the Combined Fleet tried to reach the strait and the Mediterranean beyond.¹

The Lane After the Battle

This note covers that 1805 lane only. A garrison history and a later fortress note stay on RESEARCH_QUEUE.

Of 22 prizes taken at the Battle of Trafalgar 1805 — Overview, only 4 reached Gibraltar. Collingwood Cuthbert — Biography ordered the rest abandoned or destroyed in the Storm After Trafalgar — 24–29 October 1805.²

Sources

• @white2005nelson
• @knight2005pursuit — pp. 511–572
• Cape Trafalgar — Geography
• Storm After Trafalgar — 24–29 October 1805

Related

Navigation

• MOC_Geography_Places
• Sea_Lanes_Straits_Index

Same Subject

• Cape Trafalgar — Geography
• Cadiz — Spanish Naval Port
• Battle of Trafalgar 1805 — Overview
• Storm After Trafalgar — 24–29 October 1805
• Trafalgar Campaign 1805
• Collingwood Cuthbert — Biography

Cross-Domain

• Age of Sail — Era Overview

Footnotes

1. Cape as the Atlantic meeting the strait approaches; Villeneuve trying to reach the strait on 21 October 1805: Cape Trafalgar — Geography. ↩

2. 22 prizes, 4 reached Gibraltar: same note. Do not invent a garrison strength or a later fortress narrative. ↩