Action of 8 January 1780 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Action of 8 January 1780
Part of the American Revolutionary War
George Rodney. Engraving from Edward Francis Finden
Date 8 January 1780 Location off Cape Finisterre 43°00′N 20°15′W / 43.000°N 20.250°W / 43.000; -20.250 Result British victory
Belligerents
Spain Caracas company	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Don Juan Augustín de Yardi (POW)	George Rodney
Strength
1 ship of the line 4 frigates 2 small warships 15 merchant ships	20 ships of the line 6 frigates
Casualties and losses
All ships captured	light

The Action of 8 January 1780 was a naval battle that happened near Cape Finisterre. This area is off the coast of Spain. It was fought between a British fleet led by Admiral Sir George Rodney and a Spanish convoy. The Spanish ships were merchant vessels, meaning they carried goods for trade. They were protected by seven warships from the Caracas Company. During this battle, the British captured the entire Spanish convoy. This event took place a few days before another important battle, the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, where Rodney also defeated a Spanish fleet.

Why This Battle Happened

When Spain joined the American Revolutionary War in 1779, one of their main goals was to get back Gibraltar. Gibraltar is a very important piece of land that England had taken from Spain in 1704.

To get Gibraltar back, Spain decided to surround it and stop supplies from reaching the British soldiers there. This is called a siege. The siege officially started in June 1779. Spanish forces blocked Gibraltar by land. Their naval blockade, which means blocking by sea, was not very strong. This allowed small, fast British ships to get through. However, larger supply ships usually couldn't make it.

By late 1779, the supplies in Gibraltar were running very low. General George Eliott, who was in charge of the British forces, asked London for help.

So, a large group of supply ships was put together. In late December 1779, a big British fleet sailed from England. It was commanded by Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney. Even though Rodney's main trip was to the West Indies, he had secret orders. His first job was to deliver supplies to Gibraltar and another place called Menorca.

The Battle

On January 4, Rodney sent some of his ships away. These included the HMS Hector and three frigates: HMS Phoenix, HMS Andromeda, and HMS Greyhound. These ships were sent to protect the merchant vessels heading to the West Indies.

The very next day, Rodney's fleet found a Spanish convoy. This convoy had 22 ships and was traveling from San Sebastián to Cádiz.

Rodney's ships quickly moved in on the Spanish convoy. Some of his ships had a special coating on their hulls called copper sheathing. This made them faster than the Spanish ships. Because of this speed, the British were able to capture almost the entire convoy. Only one Spanish merchant ship managed to escape.

The captured ships were carrying important supplies. Some had naval stores for the Spanish fleet in Cádiz. Others had goods for the Royal Caracas Company. These ships were sent back to England. They were escorted by two British ships, HMS America and HMS Pearl.

What Happened Next

Admiral Rodney found that the captured Spanish ships were full of useful provisions. He used these supplies to help the British forces in Gibraltar. This was a big help for the soldiers who were running out of food and other necessities.

Rodney also took the main Spanish warship, the 64-gun Guipuzcoana. He added it to the British Royal Navy fleet. He renamed it HMS Prince William. This was done to honor Prince William, who was actually present during the battle.

Rodney wrote to the Admiralty, which was the main naval office. He said that losing these ships "must greatly distress the enemy." He also mentioned that he knew the Spanish were "in much want of provisions and naval stores." This meant the capture was a big blow to Spain.

Just a few days later, on January 16, 1780, Rodney fought and defeated another Spanish fleet. This battle was called the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. After these victories, Rodney successfully delivered supplies to Gibraltar and Menorca. One of the captured Spanish ships, the 16-gun San Fermin, also joined the Royal Navy. However, the Spanish later recaptured it in April 1781.

Ships Involved

Here are some of the ships that took part in this action:

British Fleet

• HMS Sandwich (90 guns) Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney's ship
• HMS Prince George (98 guns)
• HMS Royal George (100 guns)
• HMS Alcide (74 guns)
• HMS Ajax (74 guns)
• HMS Bedford (74 guns)
• HMS Culloden (74 guns)
• HMS Cumberland (74 guns)
• HMS Edgar (74 guns)
• HMS Montagu (74 guns)
• HMS Monarch (74 guns)
• HMS Shrewsbury (74 guns)
• HMS Terrible (74 guns)
• HMS Resolution (74 guns)
• HMS Invincible (74 guns)
• HMS Defence (74 guns)
• HMS Marlborough (74 guns)
• HMS Dublin (74 guns)
• HMS America (64 guns)
• HMS Bienfaisant (64 guns)
• HMS Convert (32 guns)
• HMS Pearl (28 guns)
• HMS Triton (24 guns)
• HMS Pegasus (24 guns)
• HMS Porcupine (24 guns)
• HMS Hyaena (24 guns)

Spanish Fleet

Caracas Company Warships

• Guipuzcoano (64 guns) – Commodore Don Juan Augustin de Yardi's ship
• San Carlos (32 guns)
• San Rafael (30 guns)
• Santa Teresa (28 guns)
• San Bruno (26 guns)
• San Fermín (16 guns)
• San Vicente (10 guns)

Merchant Ships

• Nuestra Señora de L'Oves
• San Francisco
• La Concepción
• San Nicolás
• San Jerónimo
• Divina Providencia
• San Gavilán
• San Pacora
• San Lauren
• La Providencia
• La Bellona
• Esperanza
• Le Cidada de Mercia
• La Amistad
• San Miguel

See also

In Spanish: Acción del 8 de enero de 1780 para niños