Action of 25 January 1797

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Action of 25 January 1797
Part of the Anglo-Spanish War (1796–1808) during the War of the First Coalition
Battle between San Francisco de Asís and three British frigates and a corvette – oil on canvas, Naval Museum of Madrid
Date 25 January 1797 Location Gulf of Cádiz, Spain 36°50′N 7°10′W / 36.833°N 7.167°W / 36.833; -7.167 Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Great Britain	Spain
Commanders and leaders
George Stewart	Alonso de Torres y Guerra
Strength
3 fifth-rate frigates, 1 sixth-rate sloop[1]	1 third-rate ship of line[1]
Casualties and losses
Unknown	2 killed 12 wounded 1 ship slightly damaged[2]
class=notpageimage| Location within Europe

The action of 25 January 1797 was a minor naval battle of the

At dawn on 25 January, the three frigates and one sloop of Galloway's division were sighted from the San Francisco de Asís sailing north-eastwards at a distance of 11 leagues from the port of Cádiz, parallel to the city.

At 1 pm the British division had approached enough to open fire on the San Francisco, who had hoisted its flag, ready to engage Galloway's ships,[7] which also hoisted their British flags.^[7] The San Francisco then opened fire, and a running battle ensued without intermission until 4 pm. In the process, the San Francisco received the fire of two British frigates which successively shot him with grapeshot.^[7] The Spanish ship could only return the fire with the stern chasers of its batteries, although she luffed occasionally to shoot broadsides on the British frigates, inflicting serious damage.^[7] The British gunners, noted for their skill through the war, were not particularly accurate during the action, and San Francisco, already hit by the storm, didn't suffer serious damage.^[5]

The British frigates left the battle at 4 pm, and although after consulting among themselves the British commanders resolved return to fight at 4:30 pm, they finally withdrew half an hour later.^{[7][dubious – discuss]} The imminence of the nightfall and the possibility of running aground on the coast between Huelva and Ayamonte convinced Alonso de Torres y Guerra to turn back to Cádiz instead of chasing Galloway's division, but trying before to sail between the retreating British ships to shoot upon them two complete broadsides. The British vessels, however, managed to avoid the action by taking advantage of its fasteness and the darkness of the dusk.^[7]

Aftermath

The San Francisco de Asís had 2 men killed and 12 wounded in the action. She received a shot at the

A success by ship of line fighting alone against a squadron of well armed frigates was not common during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.^[8] For example, in the action of 8 March 1795, the 74-gun HMS Berwick was captured in just 15 minutes by the French frigate Alceste, supported by the frigates Minerve and Vestale.^[8] As a reward for his victory, Captain Alonso de Torres y Guerra was given the encomienda of Corral de Caracuel in the Order of Alcántara, which included, asides of the title of knight, an income of 15.800 reales.^[5] On the other hand, Galloway's career wasn't damaged by the result of the action, and he was chosen by Admiral Jervis to carry back to England news of the victory of St Vincent.^[9]

Notes