Action of 25 February 1781 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Action of 25 February 1781
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Captain Robert Mann
Date 25 February 1781 Location off Cape Finisterre, Spain Result British victory
Belligerents
Great Britain	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Robert Mann	Nicolás de Medina
Strength
1 frigate	1 frigate
Casualties and losses
2 wounded	6 killed 17 wounded 135 captured 1 frigate captured

The action of 25 February 1781 was a small sea battle. It happened off Cape Finisterre near Spain. This fight was between two warships, a Spanish frigate called Graña and a British frigate named HMS Cerberus. The British ship won the battle quickly.

What Was the Action of 25 February 1781?

This naval battle took place during the American Revolutionary War. It was part of a bigger conflict where Britain fought against several countries, including Spain. On 25 February 1781, two frigates met by chance in the ocean. A frigate is a type of fast warship.

The Ships and Commanders

The Spanish ship was the Graña. It had 30 guns and was commanded by Don Nicolás de Medina. The British ship was HMS Cerberus. It had 32 guns and was led by Captain Robert Mann. Both ships were similar in size and power.

The Battle Begins

On that day, HMS Cerberus was sailing about 20 leagues (about 60 miles) off Cape Finisterre. Captain Mann and his crew spotted the Spanish frigate Graña. The Graña had been at sea for a month but had not captured many enemy ships.

A Quick Victory

HMS Cerberus moved closer to the Spanish ship. The battle started and ended very quickly. Within just fifteen minutes, the British had won. The Spanish officers tried to keep fighting. However, the powerful broadsides (all the guns on one side of the ship firing at once) from Cerberus were too much. The Spanish sailors soon refused to continue the fight.

Don Nicolás de Medina realized that further fighting was useless. He then struck the Graña's colours. This means he lowered his ship's flag, which was a sign of surrender.

What Happened Next?

The battle caused some damage and injuries. On the Spanish ship Graña, six men were killed. This included their first lieutenant. Seventeen more men were wounded. Out of a crew of 166, 135 Spanish sailors were captured. The British ship, HMS Cerberus, had only two men wounded.

After the battle, the Royal Navy took the captured Spanish ship. They added it to their own fleet and renamed it HMS Grana. Captain Mann was rewarded for his victory. He was given command of a larger warship, the 64-gun HMS Scipio.

See also

In Spanish: Acción del 25 de febrero de 1781 para niños