Action of 2 March 1808 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Action of 2 March 1808 |
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| Part of the Gunboat Wars | |||||||
 HMS Sappho capturing the Danish brig Admiral Jawl, Francis Sartorius |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom |
 Denmark–Norway |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 George Langford |
Jørgen Jørgensen |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 1 brig-sloop | 1 brig | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 2 wounded | 1 killed 2 wounded 1 brig captured |
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The Action of 2 March 1808 was a small naval battle. It happened during the Gunboat War. This fight was between a British ship called HMS Sappho and a Danish ship named Admiral Yawl.
HMS Sappho was an 18-gun brig-sloop. It was led by Captain George Langford. The Danish ship, Admiral Yawl, was a 28-gun brig. It was commanded by Jørgen Jørgensen. Sappho found Admiral Yawl trying to stop some merchant ships. After a quick fight, Sappho captured the Danish ship.
The Danish ship's real name was Admiral Juel. It was a merchant ship that had been turned into a privateer. This means it was a private ship allowed to attack enemy ships.
The Battle Begins
On March 2, 1808, HMS Sappho was sailing near Scarborough. The crew spotted an armed brig. This brig looked like it was trying to cut off some merchant ships. Sappho started to chase it.
Around 1:30 PM, Sappho fired a warning shot. The brig was flying British flags. But then, it quickly changed to Danish flags. The Danish ship then fired its cannons. Captain Langford immediately moved Sappho closer. He wanted to fight the Admiral Yawl up close.
The battle lasted about 30 minutes. The Admiral Yawl then lowered its flags. This meant it was giving up.
Ships and Crews
HMS Sappho had sixteen 32-pounder carronades and two 6-pounder guns. It had a crew of 120 sailors. The Admiral Yawl was a brig, but it was unusual. It had cannons on two decks.
On its lower deck, it had twelve 18-pounder carronades. On its main deck, it carried sixteen 6-pounder guns. Its crew had 83 men. Sappho's cannons could fire much heavier shots. Its crew was also larger.
During the fight, Sappho had one sailor wounded and another injured. Admiral Yawl had two crew members killed. These were its second officer and a seaman.
After this victory, Captain Langford was promoted. Years later, in 1847, a special medal was given. It was the Naval General Service Medal. Sailors from Sappho who were in this battle could receive it.
What Happened Next
The Danish captain, Jørgen Jørgensen, was an interesting person. He had been part of an exploration trip to Australia in 1801. He wrote in his autobiography that his father and other merchants bought the Admiral Yawl. They gave it to the Danish government.
The government then prepared the ship for battle. Jørgensen said he was able to get his ship out of the ice early. This allowed him to surprise British trading ships. He captured several merchant vessels before Sappho stopped him.
