Action of 25 January 1797 Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Action of 25 January 1797

Part of the Anglo-Spanish War (1796–1808) during the War of the First Coalition

Battle between San Francisco de Asís and three British frigates and a corvette – oil on canvas, Naval Museum of Madrid

Date	25 January 1797
Location	Gulf of Cádiz, Spain 36°50′N 7°10′W / 36.833°N 7.167°W / 36.833; -7.167
Result	Spanish victory

Belligerents

Great Britain

Spain

Commanders and leaders

George Stewart

Alonso de Torres y Guerra

Strength

3 fifth-rate frigates,
1 sixth-rate sloop

1 third-rate ship of line

Casualties and losses

Unknown

2 killed
12 wounded
1 ship slightly damaged

The action of 25 January 1797 was a small but important naval battle. It happened during the French Revolutionary Wars in the Gulf of Cádiz. A Spanish warship, the San Francisco de Asís, was attacked by a group of British ships.

The Spanish ship was a ship of the line, which was a very large warship. The British group had three frigates and one smaller ship called a corvette. These ships were led by George Stewart, 8th Earl of Galloway.

The battle lasted for several hours with fierce fighting. In the end, the British warships were damaged and had to leave. The San Francisco de Asís had only minor damage. It was able to return safely to Cádiz. Captain Alonso de Torres y Guerra, who commanded the Spanish ship, was honored for his success.

Why This Battle Happened
The Battle Begins
Fighting at Sea
British Retreat
What Happened Next
Images for kids
See also

Why This Battle Happened

The winter of 1796–1797 was very stormy. Many ships were lost at sea, including some from the British Royal Navy. The Spanish navy also faced tough weather.

The Spanish ship San Francisco de Asís, led by Captain Don Alonso de Torres y Guerra, was anchored in the Bay of Cádiz. Its job was to protect Spanish trading ships coming from America. However, a big storm hit the ship. It lost its anchor and was forced to sail out into the open sea.

Spain and Britain had been allies against Revolutionary France. But in 1796, Spain joined forces with France through the Second Treaty of San Ildefonso. This made Spain and Britain enemies.

The British navy then moved its ships to the Atlantic coast of Spain and Portugal. Sir John Jervis was the commander of the British fleet. He was based in Lisbon. His orders were to bother the enemy and protect British trade.

One of the British groups was led by the Earl of Galloway. This group included the frigates Lively, Niger, and Meleager. It also had the sloops Fortune and Raven .

The Battle Begins

On the morning of January 25, the San Francisco de Asís spotted Galloway's four British ships. They were sailing about 11 leagues (about 33 miles) from Cádiz. The Spanish crew became alert when the British ships did not respond to their signals.

The British ships started to get closer to the San Francisco de Asís. They were faster and had more ships. The two heaviest British frigates each had 40 cannons. The smaller frigate had 34, and the sloop had 28. Some British ships also had powerful 24-pounder carronades (short-barreled cannons).

Around 1 PM, the British ships were close enough to start firing. The San Francisco de Asís raised its flag, ready to fight. The British ships also raised their flags.

Fighting at Sea

The San Francisco de Asís opened fire, and a running battle began. It lasted without stopping until 4 PM. During the fight, two British frigates fired grapeshot (small metal balls) at the Spanish ship.

The Spanish ship could mostly fire back with its stern chasers (cannons at the back). But it would sometimes turn to the side to fire full broadsides (all cannons on one side) at the British frigates. These broadsides caused serious damage to the British ships.

Even though British gunners were known for their skill, they were not very accurate in this battle. The San Francisco de Asís, which had already been damaged by the storm, did not suffer major damage from the British fire.

British Retreat

The British frigates stopped fighting at 4 PM. After talking among themselves, the British commanders decided to try fighting again at 4:30 PM. However, they finally decided to leave half an hour later.

Night was coming, and Captain Alonso de Torres y Guerra decided not to chase the British ships. He worried about running aground (getting stuck) on the coast. Instead, he tried to sail between the retreating British ships to fire two more broadsides.

But the British ships were faster and used the darkness to escape. They managed to avoid the Spanish attack.

What Happened Next

The San Francisco de Asís had 2 men killed and 12 wounded in the battle. The ship had a shot hit its mainyard (a main support beam) and another hit near the waterline. It also had minor damage to its ropes and hull.

The ship was repaired quickly. On February 14, it took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent. In that battle, the British fleet, led by John Jervis, defeated the Spanish fleet. The San Francisco helped save the very large Spanish ship Santísima Trinidad, which was badly damaged and almost captured.

The damage and injuries on the British ships from the January 25 action are not fully known. This battle is not often mentioned in English historical records. However, a Spanish historian named Cesáreo Fernández Duro said that one of Galloway's frigates lost its foretopmast (a part of its mast).

It was unusual for one ship of the line to fight off a group of well-armed frigates during these wars. For example, in another battle in 1795, a 74-gun British ship was captured by three French frigates in just 15 minutes.

As a reward for his victory, Captain Alonso de Torres y Guerra received a special honor. He became a knight in the Order of Alcántara. This honor also gave him a good income.

The outcome of this battle did not harm Galloway's career. Admiral Jervis later chose him to carry the news of the victory at St Vincent back to England.