five o'clock
Briefly , sir . '' `` Briefly , sir -- Lord Nelson had word of Admiral Villeneuve coming out of the Straits , and engaged the combined fleets off Cape Trafalgaro . They were in single line , roughly ; and he bore down in two columns , and cut off their van under Dumanoir . This was at dawn or thereabouts , and by five o'clock the enemy was destroyed . '' `` How many prizes ? '' `` I can not say precisely , my lord . The word went , when I was signalled aboard the Vice-Admiral 's flagship , that either fifteen or sixteen had struck .