As the battle started Nelson's flagship, broke the line ahead of "Neptune", passing by and raking "Bucentaure". As "Victory" passed by "Neptune" fired into her with a broadside from her larboard battery, damaging "Victory"s foremast, bowsprit, spritsail yards, her forward hull and her anchors. Maistral then ordered "Neptune"s jib run up, to move her out of "Victory"s range. She briefly engaged at long range, and then wore back to support Villeneuve. Standing someway off to leeward "Neptune"s gunners reloaded, and then opened fire with a broadside into as the British ship came up through the gap created by "Victory"s passage. The broadsides cut "Temeraire"s rigging, brought down her foreyard and main topmast, and damaged her fore mast and bowsprit. By now unmanageable, "Temeraire" came under fire from the "San Justo", lying just astern of "Neptune".