Uncovered: A French eyewitness account from Battle of Trafalgar
By Matthew Beard
Published: 04 November 2005
A French eyewitness account of the country's dramatic defeat at the Battle of Trafalgar has been discovered, shedding light on the historic battle.
Details of the sea battle, in which British ships chased and captured the French vessels, appear in the helmsman's log. The document, taken from the French ship Mont Blanc, was discovered by researchers from the British National Archives among the vessel's muster roll, the lists of payments to the crew on board.
Alistair Hanson, a historian at the National Archive, said: "This discovery is of significance because it provides us with a rare French eyewitness account of the battle. It will also be valuable to French genealogists who will be able to track those seamen who died."
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