Battle of the Gulf of Roses facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of the Gulf of Roses
Part of the naval operations during the War of the First Coalition
The Gulf of Roses
Date 14 February 1795 Location Off the Gulf of Roses, Mediterranean Sea 42°11′16″N 3°11′18″E / 42.18778°N 3.18833°E / 42.18778; 3.18833 Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Spain	France
Commanders and leaders
Juan de Lángara	Captain Guet (POW)
Strength
1 ship of the line	1 frigate
Casualties and losses
Minor	280 killed or wounded 1 frigate captured

The Battle of the Gulf of Roses was a small but important sea battle. It happened on February 14, 1795. This battle was part of the larger French Revolutionary Wars. These wars were a big conflict between France and many other European countries. The fight took place in the Gulf of Roses, which is off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea. In this battle, Spain won against France.

What Happened in the Gulf of Roses Battle?

The battle involved a Spanish warship and a French group of ships. The Spanish ship was a large "ship of the line" called the Reina María Luisa. It had 112 guns, making it very powerful. The French group included a "frigate" named Iphigenie and a "corvette." Frigates and corvettes were smaller and faster warships.

The Chase and Capture

The Spanish fleet was led by Admiral Juan de Lángara. He ordered the Reina María Luisa to chase the French frigate Iphigenie. The chase lasted for more than a day. Finally, the Spanish ship caught up to the French frigate. The Iphigenie was forced to "strike her colors." This means the French ship lowered its flag, showing it was surrendering.

The French corvette that was with the Iphigenie had separated earlier. It got lost in a storm three days before the battle. It was believed to be gone. The capture of the Iphigenie was a victory for Spain. About 280 French sailors were killed or wounded, and their frigate was taken. The Spanish had only minor losses.

A Close Call for the Montañés

A few weeks later, on March 30, something else interesting happened. Another Spanish ship, the Montañés, was carrying the captured French frigate. The Montañés was a 74-gun ship of the line. Suddenly, a strong French group of ships attacked it. This group had eight ships of the line and two frigates.

At first, the French ships were flying the Spanish flag. This was a trick to get close to the Montañés. However, the Montañés was a very fast ship. It managed to reach the port of Sant Feliu de Guíxols safely. There, it fought a tough battle. The Spanish ship fired 1,100 cannonballs! The attacking French ships were pushed back. The Montañés only lost three men and had a few wounded. After this fight, the French ships left and sailed to Menorca.