Action of 1 May 1781 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Action of 1 May 1781
Part of the American War of Independence
Date 1 May 1781 Location 210 miles (340 km) off Brest, France Result British victory
Belligerents
Spain	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Don Francisco Winthuysen	Sir George Collier
Strength
1 frigate Santa Leocadia 40 guns (reduced to 34)	1 ship of the line HMS Canada 74 guns
Casualties and losses
1 frigate captured 80 killed 106 wounded 200 captured	13 casualties

The Action of 1 May 1781 was a naval battle that took place about 210 miles (338 km) from the port of Brest in France. This fight was part of the American War of Independence, which involved several European countries. In this battle, a British warship called HMS Canada, commanded by Captain George Collier, chased and captured a Spanish frigate named Santa Leocadia. The Spanish ship was led by Don Francisco Wenthuisen.

The Battle Begins

On April 30, 1781, the British ship HMS Canada was on patrol. It had 74 guns and was commanded by Captain Sir George Collier. His job was to watch the port of Brest for enemy ships. He spotted a group of smaller ships. When HMS Canada approached, the smaller ships scattered. Captain Collier decided to chase the largest one, which was the Spanish frigate Santa Leocadia.

The Chase and Fight

The chase lasted for a long time, covering about 210 miles (338 km). Finally, on the morning of May 1, HMS Canada caught up with the Santa Leocadia. A running fight began, lasting about an hour and a half. The sea was very rough, which made it hard for the Canada to open its lower deck gunports. This meant some of its powerful guns could not be used easily.

Aftermath of the Battle

Despite the difficult conditions, the Spanish frigate eventually surrendered. The Santa Leocadia suffered many losses. About 80 of its crew members were killed, and 106 were wounded. This was nearly half of its entire crew. The Spanish captain, Don Francisco Wenthuisen, was also badly hurt and lost an arm. The British ship, HMS Canada, had only 13 casualties. One of its lower deck guns also had a part shot off.

Copper Sheathing Discovery

What was special about the Santa Leocadia was that it was known to be a very fast ship. When the British captured it, they made an interesting discovery. The bottom of the Santa Leocadia was covered in copper. This was a new technology that helped ships sail faster and protected their hulls from worms and barnacles. The British Royal Navy had started using copper on their ships, but this was the first time they realized other navies, like the Spanish, were also using it. The Santa Leocadia was the first Spanish ship found with copper sheathing. After its capture, it was added to the British navy and kept its original name.

See also

In Spanish: Acción del 1 de mayo de 1781 para niños