PDA

View Full Version : On This Day 12 July



Coog
07-11-2012, 23:06
The Second Battle of Algeciras (also known as the Battle of the Gut of Gibraltar) was a naval battle fought on the night of 12 July 1801 between a squadron of British Royal Navy ships of the line and a larger squadron of ships from the Spanish Navy and French Navy in the Gut of Gibraltar. The battle followed closely the First Battle of Algeciras on 6 July, in which a French squadron anchored at the Spanish port of Algeciras was attacked by a larger British squadron based at nearby Gibraltar. In a heavy engagement fought in calm weather in the close confines of Algeciras Bay, the British force was becalmed and battered, suffering heavy casualties and losing the ship HMS Hannibal. Retiring for repairs, both sides called up reinforcements, the French receiving support first, from the Spanish fleet based at Cadiz, which sent six ships of the line to escort the French squadron to safety.

Arriving at Algeciras on 9 July, the combined squadron was ready to sail again on 12 July, departing Algeciras to the westwards during the evening. The British squadron under Rear-Admiral Sir James Saumarez, having effected its own hasty repairs, set off in pursuit. Finding that his ships were falling behind, Saumarez instructed his captains to separate and attack the combined squadron as best they were able to. The fastest ship was HMS Superb under Captain Richard Goodwin Keats, which sailed through the Spanish rearguard as a moonless night fell. Superb fired on the rearmost ships, setting the 112-gun Real Carlos on fire and capturing the Saint Antoine. Unable to determine friend from foe in the darkness, Real Carlos inadvertently engaged the Spanish ship San Hermengildo, spreading the fire to its compatriot. Both ships subsequently exploded with enormous loss of life. A second stage of the battle then developed, as HMS Venerable took the lead of the British line, attacking the rearmost French ship Formidable under Captain Amable Troude. In a furious and protracted engagement, Venerable suffered heavy damage and was driven ashore, allowing the remainder of the French force to return to Cadiz without further fighting.

In the aftermath of the action, Venerable was towed off the shoreline and back to Gibraltar for repairs, while the remainder of the British squadron restored the British blockade of the French and Spanish ships in Cadiz, returning the situation to that in place before the battle. This British victory, coming so soon after Saumarez's defeat in Algeciras harbour, did much to restore parity in the region and the heavy casualties inflicted on the Spanish were to contribute to a weakening of the Franco-Spanish alliance which was a contributory factor in the signing of Treaty of Amiens, which brought the war to a temporary halt early the following year. In France, despite the heavy Spanish losses, the battle was celebrated as a victory, with Troude widely praised and promoted for the defence of his ship.

Coog
07-11-2012, 23:22
On 12 July 1814 HMS Landrail, a schooner under the command of Lieutenant Robert Daniel Lancaster, was in the Channel on her way to Gibraltar with dispatches when she encountered the American privateer Syren under Captain J.D. Daniels. Syren carried seven cannons, one long 12 on a travelling (pivoting) carriage, four long 6-pounders and two 18-pounder carronades, and a crew of 50 men. Landrail carried four 12-pounder carronades and a crew of 20 men. This gave Syren a broadside of 42 pounds, compared to Landrail 's 24 pounds, and a crew two and a half times larger.

Syren had had a successful cruise, capturing six British vessels, and she gave chase. Lancaster attempted to escape, keeping up a running fight of a little over an hour, and a close action of 40 minutes. During the action, one of Landrail's engaged carronades was disabled. She turned, so as to be able to use the two on her other broadside. Landrail and Syren ended up close together with the muzzles of their guns touching. Eventually Landrail, out of small-arms ammunition, with the breechings of her carronades carried away, struck. She had suffered five, or seven men wounded. Her sails were riddled with shot-holes and her hull had taken many hits. Syren had three men killed and 15 wounded. Some American reports give the Syren’s losses as only three men wounded.

Coog
07-11-2012, 23:31
On 12 July 1814 the USS Syren, a 16-gun brig-sloop under the command of Lieutenant N.J. Nicholson, encountered the British ship HMS Medway a 74-gun third rate ship of the line under the command of Captain Augustus Brine. Heavily outgunned, the Syren attempted to run. After an 11 hour chase Medway captured her despite Syren having lightening her load by throwing overboard her guns, anchors and boats. During her last voyage she had captured or sunk several British merchantmen. Among the prisoners was Samuel Leech, who later wrote an account of his experiences.

According to Samuel Leech, after being captured the crew of the Syren were taken to the Cape of Good Hope, and after landing at Simonstown, marched to a jail in Cape Town. Here they were held until transferred to England when the war was over.

Churruca
07-12-2012, 00:42
The Second Battle of Algeciras... Benito Pérez Galdós recalls it in his famous novel "Trafalgar", commented by several of the characters in it. The silent attack of the HMS Superb is described by Spanish characters as dishonest. That kind of things are always dishonest in foes and audacious among "good ones". ;-)

csadn
07-12-2012, 13:48
_Syren_ had a busy day....