Action of 20 November 1779 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Action of 20 November 1779 |
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| Part of the American Revolutionary War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Great Britain |
 Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Elliot Salter | unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
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1 Fifth-rate frigate |
1 armed merchant ship
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 4 killed & 10 wounded | 1 armed merchant ship captured 38 Killed or wounded 90 captured |
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The Action of 20 November 1779 was a sea battle during the American Revolutionary War. It happened in the Atlantic Ocean. This fight was between a British warship and an armed Spanish merchant ship.
A Sea Chase Begins
On November 19, 1779, two British ships, HMS Hussar and HMS Chatham, were sailing from Lisbon. They were protecting merchant ships heading to England. Captain Elliot Salter commanded the Hussar.
Suddenly, they spotted a large, two-decked ship leaving their group. The British ships immediately decided to chase it. The Hussar was faster and caught up with the mystery ship the very next day.
The Battle Unfolds
When the Hussar got close, the other ship raised a Spanish flag. Captain Salter quickly gave the order to attack. The Hussar sailed right next to the Spanish ship and began firing its cannons.
The British ship had a better position, known as the "weather gage." This meant they could fire along the length of the Spanish ship, causing a lot of damage. After about 45 minutes of intense fighting, the Spanish ship realized it couldn't win. It surrendered to the British.
The Spanish Ship and Its Cargo
The captured Spanish ship was named Nuestra Senora del Buen Consejo. It was a merchant ship from Lima, Peru. It was built to hold 64 cannons, but it only had 26 smaller ones.
The Spanish ship had a crew of 120 sailors and marines. During the battle, 27 of them were killed and eight were wounded. The rest of the crew were captured. On the British side, the Hussar had four sailors killed and ten wounded.
The Buen Consejo was carrying a very valuable cargo. This included copper, pewter, cocoa, a medicine called Jesuit's bark, and other minerals and goods. The British took all of these items back to England.
See also
In Spanish: Acción del 20 de noviembre de 1779 para niños
