Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1780)
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| European waters, 1778–1782 |
|---|
| First Ushant – Cape St. Vincent – Dogger Bank – Second Ushant – Cape Spartel |
The naval Battle of Cape St Vincent, or Battle of Cape Santa Maria, took place on 16 January 1780 during the American Revolutionary War and was a victory of a British fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney over a Spanish squadron under Don Juan de Lángara. It is also known as the Moonlight Battle, because it was unusual for naval battles in the age of sail to take place at night.
Origins
Rodney's fleet, on its way to relieve Gibraltar which was under siege by the Spanish, caught de Langara's smaller squadron of nine ships of the line. De Langara's squadron had comprised eleven ships until San Genaro 74 and San Justo 74 were separated from it two days earlier owing to a raging gale, off Cape St Vincent in south-western Portugal.Battle
Rodney formed his fleet of 18 ships of the line into line of battle abreast and bore down on the Spanish ships. de Langara initially ordered his ships to form line of battle ahead but, realizing that the British fleet outnumbered his own, ordered his ships to crowd on all sail to escape for their home port of Cádiz, a hundred miles to the south. At two o’clock, Rodney ordered a general chase, allowing his ships to chase at their best speed and engage as they came up to the Spanish ships, resulting in the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. Thanks to their copper sheathed hulls (which reduced marine growths), the ships of the Royal Navy were faster and soon gained on the Spanish.At a few minutes past four o’clock, after two hours of chasing, the British Defence, Bedford, Resolution and Edgar began the action. At 40 minutes past four the Spanish Santo Domingo 70, blew up just as Bienfaisant came up to engage her; all hands were lost. Darkness fell soon afterwards. The chase continued through the dark and squally night until two o’clock the following morning, when all firing ceased after the headmost of the Spanish squadron surrendered. Four Spanish ships of the line and the two frigates escaped, but six were taken including De Lángara's flagship Fénix, 80. By morning Rodney's own fleet was in shoal water. The necessity of getting the ships off shore prevented Rodney from continuing the chase.
Aftermath
Two of the prizes - San Julián and San Eugenio - were lost due to the ignorance on the shore line of the British officers who commanded them as they had to ask the Spanish captains to help them out and sail the taken ships through the gale; the captain of San Julian, who had remained on board, refused to be useful unless the ship was again under his command to which the British officers agreed. That is how both Spanish sails were retaken by their crews. The fleet then sailed for Gibraltar. British casualties were 32 killed and 102 wounded.Ships involved:
Britain
Sandwich 90Royal George 100
Prince George 90
Ajax 74
Alcide 74
Alfred 74
Bedford 74
Culloden 74
Cumberland 74
Defence 74
Edgar 74
Invincible 74
Marlborough 74
Monarch 74
Montagu 74
Resolution 74
Terrible 74
Bienfaisant 64
Spain
Fénix 80Diligente 70
Monarca 70
San Agustín 70
Santo Domingo 70
San Eugenio 70
San Lorenzo 70
San Julian 70
Princesa 70
Sources
Navy Lists from the Age of Sail, 1776-1783 - Sapherson, C.A. and Lenton, J.R. (Leeds 1986)Rodney - Spinney, David (London 1969)
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