At Cape Trafalgar on 21 October 1805, Horatio Nelson wore his admiral's undress coat with four stars pinned to the breast; by half past four that afternoon he was dying in the cockpit of HMS Victory.
Quick answer. At Trafalgar on 21 October 1805, Royal Navy officers wore the 1795 regulations undress coat: a dark navy blue double breasted single breasted frock with white facings, gilt buttons, blue breeches and buckled shoes. Nelson wore his vice admiral's undress coat with the stars of his orders of chivalry sewn on. Seamen wore slop clothing: dark blue short jacket, white or striped shirt, dark blue trousers, black neckerchief, round hat.
The 1795 and 1812 regulations
The Royal Navy uniform system was formalised in 1748 for officers and extensively revised in 1795. The 1795 regulations fixed two patterns: full dress (gold laced coat, white breeches, cocked hat for ceremonial) and undress (plain coat with less gold, worn at sea and in daily duty). The 1812 revision tightened the specifications but kept the core shapes.
A post captain of 1805 wore a dark navy blue coat with white lapels and cuffs, double breasted with ten gilt buttons each side, nine inches long at the lace loop. Lieutenants wore a plainer version. Admirals wore gold embroidered oak and acorn across the lapel, cuff, pocket flap and collar. For the 18th century origins, see our 18th century naval uniforms piece.
Nelson's own uniform
Vice Admiral Lord Nelson at Trafalgar wore his undress vice admiral's coat with gold embroidery, dark blue breeches and silk stockings. On the left breast of the coat were sewn the embroidered stars of four orders: the Order of the Bath, the Turkish Order of the Crescent, the Order of St Ferdinand (Naples) and the Order of St Joachim (Hohenlohe). These stars, roughly 10 cm each, made him recognisable at range from a French maintop.
The coat survives in the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, Nelson's blood still visible on the left shoulder where the fatal musket ball passed through. The sword at his side was the 1805 pattern naval officer's sword with a brass stirrup hilt and shagreen grip. His cocked hat was the 1795 pattern, bound in gold, with the Prince of Wales' feather presented by the Sultan of Turkey.
Captains and lieutenants
A post captain of over three years' seniority wore two epaulettes with embroidered gold anchor. A post captain under three years wore one epaulette on the right. A commander wore one epaulette on the left. Lieutenants wore no epaulette, but had their rank shown by button spacing: three buttons, in groups of three, down the lapel.
Captain Thomas Hardy of HMS Victory wore the two epaulette captain's coat, with his star of the Order of the Bath (added 1807). Captain Edward Codrington of HMS Orion, Captain Henry Blackwood of HMS Euryalus, Captain Francis Laforey of HMS Spartiate, all dressed broadly alike. The uniform was a visual signature of command.
Seamen's dress
Royal Navy seamen wore slop clothing: a short dark navy blue jacket (dubbed the monkey jacket from 1801), a white or blue striped cotton shirt, dark blue trousers (adopted from 1770, replacing breeches at sea), a black silk neckerchief, buckled shoes and a round black tarpaulin hat. Officers walked, seamen were nimble, and the trouser enabled them to climb rigging without catching.
Boatswains and petty officers wore the same with gold wire or worsted insignia on the collar or sleeve. Midshipmen, officers in training, wore an officer coat but with white patches on the collar and a short dirk instead of a sword. For the longer naval officer tradition, see our 19th century naval officer uniforms piece.
Royal Marines on deck
Royal Marines served afloat as the ship's infantry. At Trafalgar they wore the 1802 pattern scarlet coat with blue facings on collar and cuffs (Royal regiment), stovepipe shako, white kerseymere breeches, black gaiters and buckled shoes. They lined the quarterdeck during the engagement, firing musket volleys down into enemy ships at close range.
A Royal Marine sergeant on HMS Victory, Charles Secker, fired the volley that caused French sharpshooters to retreat into the maintop of the Redoutable, from which the single shot that killed Nelson was fired about ten minutes later. For regimental context, see our British Napoleonic uniforms piece.
French and Spanish uniforms at Trafalgar
French Navy officers wore the 1804 pattern dark blue coat with scarlet facings on cuff and collar, embroidered gold anchors on each side of the lapel, and a bicorne. Vice Admiral Villeneuve commanded the Combined Fleet from the Bucentaure. The Spanish admiral, Federico Gravina of the Principe de Asturias, wore the Spanish Navy dark blue coat with gold trim and the Order of Charles III star.
The casualty figures tell the story: 1,587 British dead and wounded; 4,408 French and Spanish dead and wounded, plus around 7,000 captured. 22 Combined Fleet ships lost; no Royal Navy ships lost. For the broader Napoleonic naval context, see our Napoleonic uniforms complete guide.
Common questions
What did Nelson wear at Trafalgar?
His vice admiral's undress coat with four embroidered stars on the left breast (Bath, Crescent, St Ferdinand, St Joachim), dark blue breeches, silk stockings and buckled shoes.
Why could French snipers identify Nelson?
The four embroidered stars on his coat marked him out at range. French sharpshooters in the maintop of the Redoutable fired at every officer visible, and one bullet hit Nelson.
What did Royal Navy seamen wear?
Dark blue short jacket, white or striped shirt, dark blue trousers, black silk neckerchief, round black hat, buckled shoes. Issued as slop clothing from the ship's slop chest.
How did rank work for naval officers?
Admirals: gold embroidered oak and acorn on coat. Post captains over three years: two epaulettes. Post captains under three years: one epaulette on the right. Lieutenants: no epaulettes, three buttons grouped on the lapel.
What did the Royal Marines wear?
The 1802 pattern scarlet coat with Royal blue facings, stovepipe shako, white breeches, black gaiters. They served as the ship's infantry on the quarterdeck.