Action of 17 February 1783 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Action of 17 February 1783 |
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| Part of American Revolutionary War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Great Britain |
 Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| George Stoney | Unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1 Fifth-rate Frigate (HMS Fox) | 1 frigate (Santa Catalina) | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 4 killed 1 wounded |
1 frigate captured 35 killed and wounded 128 captured |
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The Action of 17 February 1783 was a small but important sea battle. It happened in the Caribbean Sea, near Jamaica and Cuba. This fight was between a British warship, HMS Fox, and a Spanish warship, Santa Catalina. The British ship won, capturing the Spanish frigate.
Contents
The Story of the Battle
Why the Battle Happened
By the end of 1782, the American Revolutionary War was almost over. In the Caribbean, the British navy was very strong. They had won a big battle called the Battle of the Saintes. This meant they controlled the seas.
British ships were watching important ports like Cap-François and Fort-Royal. They also kept an eye on Havana. Their fast ships, called frigates, were stopping enemy ships. These enemy ships were often privateers, which were private ships allowed to attack enemy merchant ships.
Captain George Stoney commanded HMS Fox. This was a frigate with thirty guns. He was sent to Jamaica after capturing a Spanish privateer.
The Sea Fight Begins
On February 17, 1783, HMS Fox was sailing near Jamaica. The crew spotted another ship in the distance. Captain Stoney decided to investigate. As Fox got closer, the other ship showed Spanish flags. This meant it was a Spanish warship, and it was ready for battle.
Fox prepared for a fight. Captain Stoney soon realized he was facing a frigate almost the same size. Both ships had similar numbers of guns and crew.
The Battle Itself
The battle lasted for almost four hours. It was a fierce fight between the two warships. HMS Fox used its powerful carronades. These were short, heavy cannons that caused a lot of damage.
The carronades on Fox were very effective. They badly damaged the Spanish frigate, Santa Catalina. Eventually, Santa Catalina's masts were broken. This meant the ship could not sail properly.
The Spanish captain knew his ship was too damaged to escape. He could not fix the masts quickly. So, he decided to surrender. He lowered his ship's flag, which is a sign of giving up.
What Happened After
The captured ship, Santa Catalina, was a Spanish frigate with 22 guns. It had a crew of 163 men. This ship had been sent from Havana specifically to capture a British ship.
In the battle, HMS Fox had four sailors killed and one wounded. The Spanish ship, Santa Catalina, suffered much more. About 35 of its crew were killed or wounded. The remaining 128 sailors and marines were taken prisoner.
Santa Catalina was too damaged to be repaired. It was taken to Port Royal and broken up.
See also
In Spanish: Acción del 17 de febrero de 1783 para niños
