The San Nicolás was a 80-gun third rate ship of the Spanish Navy

Spanish Navy

The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...

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She was present at the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797, when she was boarded by a number of British sailors from led by Horatio Nelson. They successfully took the ship, then crossed from her decks to board the San Josef

HMS San Josef

HMS San Josef was a 114-gun first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She was captured from the Spanish Navy at the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797...

, which had come to the aid of the San Nicolás, but had become encumbered with her. Nelson and his men then captured the San Josef as well.

The San Nicolás was commissioned into the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 as HMS San Nicolas. She became a prison ship

Prison ship

A prison ship, historically sometimes called a prison hulk, is a vessel used as a prison, often to hold convicts awaiting transportation to penal colonies. This practice was popular with the British government in the 18th and 19th centuries....

in 1800, and was sold for breaking up on 3 November 1814.