Action of 19 January 1799 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Action of 19 January 1799
Part of the French Revolutionary Wars
Engraving of Gibraltar as seen from the north, depicting the view as seen in 1852.
Date 19 January 1799 Location Off Punta Europa, Strait of Gibraltar Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Great Britain	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Unknown	Mourelle de la Rúa
Strength
1 third-rate, 1 gun-brig, 3 gunboats, 4 merchant ships, 3 merchant brigs	1 mistico, 14 gunboats
Casualties and losses
1 gunboat sunk, 1 merchant ship captured, 2 merchant brigs captured, 1 gunboat captured, 120 prisoners	minor

The Action of 19 January 1799 was a small but important naval battle during the French Revolutionary Wars. It happened near Punta Europa in the Strait of Gibraltar. A group of Spanish gunboats, led by Francisco Mourelle de la Rua, attacked a British convoy. This convoy was made up of merchant ships and was protected by British warships. The Spanish won this battle, capturing some British ships and a gunboat. Because of his success, Mourelle de la Rua was promoted.

Why This Battle Happened

Engraving of a Spanish gunboat from the late 1700s.

The Spanish Navy learned that small, fast gunboats were very useful in naval warfare. So, they set up a base for these boats in Algeciras. Their main goals were to:

• Stop British ships from trading with Gibraltar.
• Protect Spain's own merchant ships and trade.

During the Great Siege of Gibraltar, Admiral Antonio Barceló commanded the Spanish naval forces. These forces included many gunboats. Later, Francisco Antonio Mourelle de la Rua took over this command in 1797. He was involved in over 41 battles against the British.

The Battle: Spain's Story

Portrait of Mourelle de la Rua.

On January 19, 1799, at 2 PM, a British convoy left Gibraltar. It had four large ships and three smaller brigs. A large 74-gun ship of the line and an 18-gun brig from the Royal Navy were protecting them. Three British gunboats also joined them to guard against Spanish attacks.

About an hour later, 14 Spanish gunboats and a special ship called a mistico, led by Lieutenant Francisco Antonio Mourelle de la Rua, sailed out. They formed a battle line to stop the British convoy. Four more Spanish gunboats stayed in reserve, and two went to Punta Europa to attack the convoy from behind.

After several hours of fighting, at 7:30 PM, Mourelle managed to separate one ship and two brigs from the main British convoy. The three British gunboats quickly tried to help. However, one British gunboat sank, and the other two were captured. The merchant ships were also taken.

British cannons from the shore at Punta Europa fired at the Spanish. Also, seven boats from Gibraltar suddenly came out to help. This allowed one of the captured ships to escape. But the Spanish managed to fight off this counterattack.

The Battle: Britain's Story

On the afternoon of January 19, a British gunboat named HMS Strombolo was helping the convoy leave Gibraltar. This gunboat had one cannon and was led by Lieutenant William Davies. It towed one transport ship away from the dock and then returned for another.

The Spanish noticed this activity and sent out their gunboats. HMS Strombolo let go of its tow and went to meet the Spanish. Eight Spanish boats surrounded it. During the fight, a Spanish cannonball made a hole in Strombolo. The boat quickly filled with water, so the crew had to leave it. The Spanish rescued them from the water.

The second British gunboat lost that day was HMS Wilkin, led by Lieutenant Henry Power. It was towing a ship called Esther when the Spanish gunboats came close. Wilkin also sailed to fight them and was surrounded by eight Spanish boats. Its main cannon didn't fire, so the crew had to use smaller weapons. In the short battle, Wilkin lost its main and mizzen masts. When several Spanish boats came alongside, the British crew gave up.

What Happened Next

Soon after the battle, the Spanish squadron returned to Algeciras. They brought with them the four captured ships and 120 prisoners. Among the prisoners was the commander of the British gunboats in Gibraltar.

Later, the British tried different ways to defeat the Spanish gunboats, but nothing worked. The Spanish gunboats proved to be very effective. They successfully defended two large Spanish merchant convoys in the years that followed.

See Also

• French Revolutionary Wars
• Strait of Gibraltar
• Gunboat