about 10 a.m.
No sooner was Lord Nelson informed of this , than he stood in with his entire fleet towards them . At daybreak on the memorable 21st October 1805 , the combined French and Spanish fleets were in sight , about twelve miles off , the centre of the enemy 's fleet bearing about east by south of ours . At 6 a.m. we could from the deck see the enemy 's fleet , and , as I afterwards learned , the _ Victory _ was at that time about seven leagues distant from Cape Trafalgar . At about 10 a.m. the French Admiral Villeneuve had managed to form his fleet in close order of battle ; but owing to the lightness of the wind , some of the ships were to windward and some to leeward of their proper stations -- the whole being somewhat in the form of a crescent . We had at an early hour formed into two columns , and bore up towards the enemy . The _ Victory _ led the weather division , in which was our ship . We had studden sails alow and aloft ; but the wind was so light that we went through the water scarcely more than two knots an hour .