Action of 31 May 1762 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Action of 31 May 1762 |
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| Part of the Anglo-Spanish War (1762–63) | |||||||
 A view of the captured Spanish frigate Hermione with Favourite (left) and Active (right) in background: painting by Richard Wright |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Great Britain |
 Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Herbert Sawyer Philemon Pownoll |
Juan de Zabaleta | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1 frigate 1 Sloop |
1 frigate | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| light | 1 frigate captured | ||||||
The Action of 31 May 1762 was a small but important naval battle. It happened off the coast of Cadiz, Spain. Two British ships fought against one Spanish ship. This battle took place during the Anglo-Spanish War (1762–63).
When the Spanish ship surrendered, the British found something amazing. The ship was full of gold and silver! This treasure led to the largest amount of prize money ever given to British warships.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
The war with Spain had only just begun, about four months earlier. The British Royal Navy sent ships to block the Spanish coast. Their main goals were to stop Spain from sending more soldiers to the Caribbean. At that time, the British were trying to capture Havana in Cuba. They also wanted to stop Spain from attacking Gibraltar or other places in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Battle Begins
On May 15, 1762, two British ships were sailing near Cadiz, Spain. One was the 28-gun frigate HMS Active, led by Captain Herbert Sawyer. The other was the 18-gun sloop Favourite, led by Captain Philemon Pownoll.
They spotted a Spanish frigate called the Hermione. This ship had 26 guns and was commanded by Lieutenant Juan de Zabaleta. The Hermione had sailed from Callao, Peru, before the war was even declared. So, the Spanish crew probably didn't know about the war.
When the Spanish officers saw the British ships, they were slow to get ready for a fight. They didn't prepare their guns until much later in the day. The path to their gunpowder storage was also blocked.
The Fight and the Treasure
The British ships moved closer to the Hermione. Around three in the afternoon, a Spanish officer warned Zabaleta to get ready for battle. But Zabaleta surprisingly said he would wait until after dinner!
The British ships came alongside the Hermione and fired. The Spanish ship fired back once. Then, both the Active and Favourite fired all their side guns at once. Soon, the Hermione had only one mast left standing. Many of her crew were hurt. The Spanish captain, Zabaleta, realized he couldn't steer his ship. He decided to surrender.
There was a lot of confusion among the Spanish officers. The Hermione only managed to fire two full broadsides. When Zabaleta surrendered, he claimed he thought the British ships had mistaken the Hermione for a French ship.
The British sailors quickly took control of the Hermione. That's when they realized this was no ordinary ship. They found incredible riches on board! The Hermione was on its way to Cadiz with a huge cargo. It carried bags of dollars, gold coins, ingots of gold and silver, cocoa, and blocks of tin.
The British took the captured Hermione to Gibraltar. The ship and its contents were officially declared a "prize." This meant they could be sold, and the money would be shared. The total value of the ship and its treasure was an amazing £519,705 10s 0d. This would be worth millions of pounds today!
Captain Pownoll and Captain Sawyer each received £64,872 as their share of the prize money. This was a huge amount of money. Even ordinary sailors received £480 each. This was like getting thirty years' worth of wages! This prize award is still a record for the British Navy.
What Happened Next
Captains Sawyer and Pownoll suddenly became very rich. Pownoll used his money to buy a large estate called Sharpham. He built a big house there and had famous gardens designed. He also had his portrait painted by a famous artist, Sir Joshua Reynolds.
On the other hand, Lieutenant Zabaleta, the Spanish captain, faced serious trouble. When he returned to Spain, he was put on trial by a court-martial. He was sentenced to death. However, Charles III of Spain later pardoned him. Instead of death, Zabaleta was dismissed from the Navy and spent ten years in prison. Another officer was suspended for two years, and another for one year.
See also
In Spanish: Acción del 31 de mayo de 1762 para niños
