In the mists off the coast of Portugal February 1797, daring disobedience, lacklustre leadership and discipline under fire came together to produce a timely and reputation-defining victory for the British at the Battle of Cape St Vincent.

Naval historian Kate Jamieson takes us for a blow by blow journey through the gunsmoke and splinters to help us separate the myth from the historical reality, and understand how this battle managed to forge the reputations to two men, and quash another invasion threat before it could get under way.

The conversation delves into the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, exploring the context, key commanders, and the pivotal role of Nelson. It highlights the strategic maneuvers, the impact of weather, and the aftermath of the battle, including the consequences for both the British and Spanish navies. The discussion emphasizes Nelson's bold actions that led to a significant British victory and the subsequent effects on naval morale and strategy during the Revolutionary War.

Keywords

Battle of Cape St. Vincent, naval warfare, Nelson, Jervis, Cordoba, maritime history, Revolutionary War, British Navy, Spanish Navy, naval strategy

Chapters

00:00 Setting the Stage: The Battle of Cape St. Vincent

05:47 Commanders and Their Styles: Jervis vs. Cordoba

20:02 The British Fleet: Strengths and Weaknesses

21:00 Opening Moves: Nelson's Strategic Advantage

32:55 The Battle Unfolds: Chaos and Confusion

34:10 The Spanish Fleet's Response

34:59 Nelson's Bold Maneuver

38:55 The Turning Point of the Battle

41:47 The Aftermath of Victory

49:00 The Impact on Naval Reputation

54:58 Mutinies and Morale in the Navy

How much do soldiers really remember of battle? What influences that memory process? And what was it like to be in the midst of the maelstrom of combat?

Napoleonic re-enactor Liam Telfer, and Napoleonic historian Zack White sit down with the expert on the history of memory Luke Reynolds for an interview on how a living history immersive event can change the way that we understand conflict.

Drawing on their experiences at the La Boissiere Ecole immersive campaign, they relate what they remember, what they have forgotten, and what they learnt in the course of a weekend of hard marching and frenetic fighting (or in Zack's case filming).

We also discuss the role of immersive events, what they lend to the study of history, and drop a teaser about an idea that the podcast has in the pipeline.

Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod

In the run up to our hotly anticipated interview with Sean Bean and Bernard Cornwell (titled Sharpe's Confession), Zack, Liam and Louie sit down to discuss some of the greatest moments from the Sharpe franchise. From best books to most diabolical villains we dissect the series to discuss the high points of the novels and TV series which we have so often described as 'the gateway drug into the Napoleonic era'.

What do you think? What did we miss? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Support the show at: https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod?vanity=user

Chapters (All timings approximate):

00:00 Introduction to the Sharpe Series

01:43 Debating the Greatest Sharpe Book

02:55 Liam's Pitch: Sharpe's Storm

18:40 Louie's Pitch: Sharpe's Tiger

32:41 Zack's Pitch: Sharpe's Waterloo

38:43 The Dynamics of Sharpe and Waterloo

41:22 Character Development and Historical Context

44:29 The Appeal of Historical Drama

46:12 TV Adaptations: A Mixed Bag

55:54 Imagining Future Adaptations

Tags: Sharpe series, Bernard Cornwell, Napoleonic Wars, historical fiction, book review, character analysis, Sharpe's Storm, Sean Bean, military history, emotional depth.