Battle of Porto Bello (1739) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Porto Bello
Part of the War of Jenkins' Ear
The bombardment of Porto Bello, by Samuel Scott
Date 20 November 1739 Location Portobelo, Panama Result British victory
Belligerents
Great Britain	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Edward Vernon	Francisco de la Vega
Strength
6 ships of the line 2 tenders	700 4 warships
Casualties and losses
3 killed 7 wounded	260–300 captured 1 warship destroyed 3 warships captured

The Battle of Porto Bello was a fight in 1739. It happened between the British navy and Spanish defenders. The British wanted to capture the town of Portobelo in Panama. This battle was part of a bigger conflict. It was called the War of Jenkins' Ear. The British won this battle, and people celebrated their victory.

Why the Battle Happened

Portobelo was a very important port. It was on the Spanish Main, which was the mainland coast of the Spanish Empire in the Americas. Spanish ships carrying valuable treasure often sailed from here.

Years before, in 1727, the British tried to stop a Spanish treasure fleet. They failed to block the ships from leaving Portobelo. Edward Vernon, who was a Vice Admiral, had been part of that mission. He later said he could capture Portobelo with only six ships.

When Vernon was put in charge of the navy in Jamaica, he planned an attack. He used just six ships, even though many thought it was too few. Vernon believed in using smaller, fast groups of strong warships. He thought they could hit hard and move quickly. Larger groups often lost many sailors to sickness.

The Battle Itself

Vernon's ships arrived at Portobelo on November 20, 1739. The British ships entered the bay ready to attack. A strong wind made them focus their attack on a fort. This fort was called the Castillo del Hierro (Iron Castle).

The Spanish soldiers inside the fort were not ready. Some of them started to run away. British sailors and marines quickly landed on shore. They climbed the fort's walls. They took down the Spanish flag and put up an English one. The Spanish soldiers then gave up. Only 40 of the 300 Spanish soldiers were left in the fort.

After taking Castillo del Hierro, Vernon moved his ships to attack Santiago Fortress. They sank a Spanish small ship and caused other damage. The next morning, the Spanish asked to surrender. Governor Francisco Javier Martínez de la Vega y Retes gave up that afternoon.

The British took over Portobelo. They only lost three men and had seven wounded. They also captured three Spanish ships. The British stayed in the town for three weeks. They destroyed the forts and other key buildings. This stopped Portobelo from being a major Spanish naval base. Then, the British left.

What Happened After

Ruins of the fortress of San Jeronimo, Portobelo.

People in Britain and America were very happy about the capture of Porto Bello. Many places were named after it. For example, there's Portobello Road in London. There's also the Portobello area in Edinburgh. Even places in Virginia and Maryland were named Porto Bello. This victory was especially popular in the British colonies in North America. Spanish ships had been attacking British trading ships there.

Vernon became a hero after this win. He was promoted to admiral. He had always wanted Britain to be tougher on its enemies. After his victory, the British Prime Minister, Robert Walpole, faced pressure. People wanted him to launch more attacks along the Spanish coast. Vernon's next big battle was in 1741. It was a large attack on Cartagena. But that battle ended in defeat.

Lawrence Washington was the older brother of George Washington. He served under Admiral Vernon in the Battle of Cartagena de Indias. Later, when Lawrence inherited his family's land, he renamed it Mount Vernon. He did this to honor his commander. When George Washington later inherited the land, he kept the name.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Portobelo para niños