Coup de grâce Coup de grâce A coup de grâce (; French for "blow of mercy") is a death blow to end the suffering of a severely wounded person or animal. It may be a mercy killing of civilians or soldiers, friends or enemies, with or without the sufferer's consent. Examples of "coup de grâce" include shooting the heart or head (typically the back of the skull) of a wounded, but still living, person during an execution or by humanely killing a suffering, mortally wounded soldier, in war, for whom medical aid is not available. In pre-firearms eras the wounded were finished with
HMS Victory quarter deck that "Redoutable" attempted to board her, but they were thwarted by the arrival of Eliab Harvey in the 98-gun , whose broadside devastated the French ship. Nelson's last order was for the fleet to anchor, but this was countermanded by Vice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood. "Victory" suffered 57 killed and 102 wounded. "Victory" had been badly damaged in the battle and was not able to move under her own sail. therefore towed her to Gibraltar for repairs. "Victory" then carried Nelson's body to England, where, after lying in state at Greenwich, he was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral on