Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1719) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Cape St Vincent
Part of the War of the Quadruple Alliance
Date 20 December 1719 Location Near Cape St. Vincent, Portugal Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Great Britain	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Philip Cavendish	Rodrigo de Torres
Strength
2 ships of line 1 frigate	3 ships of line
Casualties and losses
40 killed and wounded	20 killed 27 wounded

The Battle of Cape St. Vincent was a small but important naval fight. It happened on December 20, 1719, near Cape St. Vincent in Portugal. This battle was part of a bigger conflict called the War of the Quadruple Alliance. In this fight, ships from Great Britain faced off against ships from Spain.

What Was the Battle of Cape St. Vincent?

This battle was a minor naval engagement. It took place during the War of the Quadruple Alliance. This war involved several European powers. Great Britain, France, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Dutch Republic were against Spain. The battle happened because Spain was trying to move some of its warships. They wanted to keep them safe from enemy forces.

Who Fought in the Battle?

The British squadron was led by Commodore Philip Cavendish. His fleet included two large warships, called ships of the line, and one smaller frigate. The Spanish squadron was led by Don Rodrigo de Torres. His fleet had three ships of the line. These Spanish ships were traveling from Santander to Cádiz. They wanted to avoid being captured by Anglo-French forces. These forces were patrolling the Bay of Biscay.

What Happened During the Battle?

A few days before the main battle, the Spanish squadron had captured a British frigate and a sloop. The battle itself lasted for about five hours. The Spanish ships fought bravely. They managed to force the British fleet to retreat. The British ships withdrew to Gibraltar. They had about 40 sailors killed or wounded. The Spanish ships arrived safely in Cádiz on January 2, 1720.

A notable person named Pedro Messía de la Cerda was part of this battle. He was on one of the Spanish ships. Later in his life, he became famous for other naval actions. He also became a very important leader in New Granada.

Ships Involved

Here are the ships that took part in this naval battle:

British Squadron

• HMS Norwich (50 guns)
• HMS Advice (50 guns)
• HMS Dover (40 guns)

Spanish Squadron

• HMS Conde de Tolosa (64 guns)
• HMS Nuestra Señora de Guadelupe (62 guns)
• HMS Hermione (50 guns)

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