Action of 8 May 1744 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Action of 8 May 1744 |
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| Part of the War of the Austrian Succession | |||||||
 An illustration of the battle by Ambroise Louis Garneray |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 France |
 Great Britain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Hubert de Brienne Étienne Perier |
 Thomas Watson † |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 2 ships of the line 1 frigate |
1 ship of the line | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | 1 ship of the line captured | ||||||
The Action of 8 May 1744 was a small but important sea battle. It happened during the War of the Austrian Succession. In this fight, two French warships captured a British warship.
The French ships were the Content (with 60 guns) and the Mars (with 64 guns). They fought against the British ship HMS Northumberland (with 70 guns). The battle lasted for four hours. Sadly, the British captain, Thomas Watson, and his second officer were killed.
A Sea Battle in 1744
On May 8, 1744, a group of British ships was sailing near Berlengas, a group of islands. Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Hardy was in charge. His squadron spotted a ship in the distance.
The British ship Northumberland was ordered to chase after it. As Northumberland got closer, its crew realized it wasn't just one ship. There were three French ships: two large warships and a smaller frigate.
The Chase Begins
Instead of telling his admiral about the enemy's strength, Captain Watson of the Northumberland kept chasing them. He sailed so fast that he soon lost sight of his own fleet. The French ships were spread out.
Around 5 PM, the Northumberland caught up with the last French ship. This was the Mars. The Mars immediately started firing its cannons at the Northumberland. Captain Watson fired back with great force.
A Fierce Fight
Captain Watson was very brave, but perhaps a bit too daring. Instead of focusing on the Mars, he tried to get closer to the other large French ship, the Content. He kept fighting the Mars while also trying to reach the Content.
When the French ship Content joined the fight, the battle became very intense. The Northumberland fought for nine hours. Eventually, it was badly damaged and could no longer be steered. Its steering wheel was destroyed.
The Outcome
At the same time, Captain Watson was badly wounded and later died. The ship's master, who was in charge after the captain, decided to surrender. He lowered the British flag, meaning the Northumberland was captured by the French.
