Artists description label verso Joining the Fray, HMS Mars & HMS Belleisle at Trafalgar 1245pm 21st October 1805. Left to Right Indomptable, Mars, Santa Ana, Belleisle and Fougueux (behind Santa Ana the Royal Sovereign) The 74 gun men -o-war Mars and Belleisle break the line some minutes after the flagship Royal Sovereign, who has laid along side the Spanish flagship Santa Ana, and is involved in heavy cannon fire with her opponent. Belleisle and Mars have approached the French/Spanish line in heavy swells and light winds without being able to fire a shot. They endured 20 minutes of heavy gun fire, sustaining much damage and quite a few casualties. Belleisle is beginning to fire into the already smashed stern of the Santa Ana and would layer fight a fierce duel with the Fougueux. Mars went on to fight a long duel with the French 74 gun Pluton.
