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Action of 23 August 1806 facts for kids

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Action of 23 August 1806
Part of the Napoleonic Wars
Capture of Pomona.jpg
HMS Arethusa and HMS Anson capture the Pomona off Havana, depicted by Thomas Whitcombe
Date 23 August 1806
Location
Result British victory
Belligerents
 United Kingdom  Spain
Commanders and leaders
Charles Lydiard
Charles Brisbane
Pedro Pablo de Sanguineto y Basso  
Strength

2 frigates

  • HMS Arethusa
  • HMS Anson
1 frigate Pomona,
12 gunboats,
shore battery
Casualties and losses
2 killed, 32 wounded Frigate Pomona captured,
3 gunboats destroyed,
6 sunk,
3 badly damaged
317 captured

The Action of 23 August 1806 was a small but important naval battle during the Napoleonic Wars. It happened off the coast of Cuba, near the city of Havana. In this battle, two British ships, HMS Anson and HMS Arethusa, captured a Spanish warship called the Pomona. They also defeated a group of smaller Spanish boats and silenced a cannon battery on the shore.

A Quick Look at the Battle

Why the Battle Happened

After a big French navy defeat at San Domingo, the British Royal Navy became very strong in the West Indies (the Caribbean Sea). Spain, who was allied with France, found it hard to defend its ships and ports. This was especially true after the Battle of Trafalgar, which made the British navy even more powerful.

In 1805, Captain Charles Lydiard took command of HMS Anson. This ship was originally a larger warship, but it had been changed to a 38-gun frigate. In early 1806, Captain Lydiard sailed Anson to the West Indies. In August, he was sailing with Captain Charles Brisbane and his ship, HMS Arethusa. On August 23, they spotted the 38-gun Spanish frigate Pomona near Havana. The Pomona was protected by a group of twelve small gunboats and a cannon battery on the shore.

The Fight Begins

The Spanish frigate Pomona tried to sail into the safety of the harbour. But Captain Lydiard and Captain Brisbane quickly moved their ships to attack. The small Spanish gunboats came out to defend the Pomona.

The two British frigates bravely sailed between the shore battery and the gunboats on one side, and the Pomona on the other. A fierce battle began. It lasted for about 35 minutes.

British Victory

The Pomona eventually gave up and lowered its flag. The British had captured it! During the fight, three of the Spanish gunboats were blown up, and six more were sunk. The remaining three gunboats were badly damaged. Many Spanish sailors were rescued, and a total of 317 were captured, many of them wounded. The shore battery also stopped firing after an explosion damaged it.

What Happened Next

The British ship Anson had no sailors killed or wounded in the battle. However, HMS Arethusa lost two sailors who were killed, and 32 were wounded, including Captain Brisbane himself.

The captured Spanish frigate Pomona was later added to the British Navy and renamed HMS Cuba. Captain Charles Brisbane went on to achieve another victory in January 1807. He used HMS Anson to capture the Dutch island of Curaçao.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Acción del 23 de agosto de 1806 para niños

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