Bombardment of Algiers (1784)
2nd Bombardment of Algiers | |||||||
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Part of the Spanish-Algerian war (1775–1785) | |||||||
Algiers' harbour. Engraving from 1690. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Regency of Algiers | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Antonio Barceló Jose de Mazarredo |
Muhammad V Ali Agha | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
9 ships of the line 11 frigates 14 xebecs 90 smaller warships[3] |
4,000 volunteers 70 galiots and gunboats[3] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
1 felucca sunk 1 gunboat destroyed 53 killed 64 wounded[4] | most of the vessels in the harbour sunk |
The 2nd Bombardment of Algiers took place between 12 and 21 July 1784. A joint Spanish-Neapolitan-Maltese-Portuguese fleet commanded by the Spanish Admiral
Background
In August 1783, in response to acts of piracy undertaken by the city, a Spanish fleet with Maltese participation under Antonio Barceló bombarded Algiers for 8 days.[4] The expedition ended in failure with some casualties, vast expenditure of ammunition and no effect.[7][8] Significant propaganda was made by the participants to portray the attack as a success, but it only inflicted minor damages and was described by the Spanish court as a "festival of fireworks too costly and long for how little it entertained the Moors".[9] Five Algerian privateers captured two Spanish merchant vessels near Palamós in September 1783 as a gesture of defiance.[4] The city's defenses were reinforced with a new 50-gun fortress,[3] 4,000 Turkish volunteer soldiers were recruited in Anatolia,[3] and European aides were hired to assist in the building fortifications and batteries.[3] In addition, at least 70 vessels were prepared to repel the Spanish,[3] and a reward of one thousand gold pieces was offered by the Dey to anyone who captured a ship of the attacking fleet.[3]
Meanwhile, in
Bombardment
On 28 June, having entrusted itself to the Virgen del Carmen, the Allied fleet sailed from Cartagena, arriving off Algiers on 10 July.[3] Two days later at 8:30 AM, the bombardment began with the Spanish ships opening fire. It was kept up until 4:20 PM, during which time about 600 bombs, 1,440 cannon balls and 260 shells were fired over the city, compared to 202 bombs and 1,164 cannonballs fired by the Algerians.[3] Major damage to the city and its fortifications and a large fire were observed. An attack by light vessels of the Algerian fleet, composed of 67 ships, was repulsed, four of them being destroyed.[3] The Allied casualties were minimal: 6 killed and 9 wounded, most of them due to accidents with the fuses of the bombs.[3] Gunboat No. 27, commanded by the Neapolitan ensign José Rodríguez, exploded accidentally, killing 25 sailors.[4]
In the following eight days, seven additional attacks were ordered.[4] The Algerians had placed a line of barges armed with artillery that largely prevented the Allied gunboats getting close to their objectives.[3] A shot fired from the fortifications hit the felucca from which Barceló was directing the bombing, sinking it.[4] José Lorenzo de Goicoechea came to the aid of the admiral, who was rescued unscathed.[4] Passing immediately to another boat, Barceló continued leading the attack, downplaying the importance of the incident.[3] Finally, on 21 July, it was decided to end the attack.[3] Contrary winds forced Barceló to give the order to return to Cartagena. More than 20,000 cannonballs and grenades had been fired on the city,[3] badly damaging the city and causing the sinking in the harbour of most of the Algerian vessels.[10] The Allied casualties were 53 men killed and 64 wounded, most due to accidents.[4]
Aftermath
The bombardment was unsuccessful,[2] nevertheless a period of negotiations began from 1785 to 1787 - the Dey of Algiers agreed to open these with Spain.[11][12][13] The first peace treaty was signed on 16 June 1785 followed by a second treaty signed on 14 June 1786 in which the Spanish agreed to pay 1 million pesos as reparations.[6][14] The signing of these treaties did not end hostilities and skirmishes and further negotiations continued.[6]
Notes
- OCLC 401732039.
- ^ a b Black 2019, p. 59.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Don Antonio Barceló, el "Capitán Toni".
- ^ a b c d e f g h Fernández Duro pg. 346
- ^ Sánchez Doncel pg. 277
- ^ ISSN 1111-2050.
- ^ 24 killed and 16 wounded. Fernández Duro pg. 346
- ^ Pinkerton, John; Joseph Meredith Toner Collection (Library of Congress) DLC (1808). A general collection of the best and most interesting voyages and travels in all parts of the world; many of which are now first translated into English. Digested on a new plan. University of Michigan. London, Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme [etc.]
- OCLC 84386447.
- ISBN 978-1-86189-946-0.
- ^ Trigo Chacón pg. 567
- ^ Rodríguez González p. 211
- ^ Juan Vidal/Martínez Ruiz pg. 329
- ^ Fernández Duro pg. 347
References
- Black, Jeremy (2019). War and Its Causes. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 9781472141675.
- Fernández Duro, Cesáreo. Armada Española desde la unión de los reinos de Castilla y Aragón, Volumen II. Est. tipográfico "Sucesores de Rivadeneyra", 1902.
- Juan Vidal, Josep; Martínez Ruiz, Enrique. Política interior y exterior de los Borbones. ISBN 978-84-7090-410-3
- Laínz, Jesús. La nación falsificada. Encuentro, 2006. ISBN 978-84-7490-829-9
- Martinez Guanter, Antonio Luis. Don Antonio Barceló, el "Capitán Toni". Revista de Historia Naval.
- Rodríguez González, Agustín Ramón. Trafalgar y el conflicto naval Anglo-Español del siglo XVIII. Actas Editorial, 2005. ISBN 978-84-9739-052-1
- Sánchez Doncel, Gregorio. Presencia de España en Orán (1509-1792). .T. San Ildefonso, 1991. ISBN 978-84-600-7614-8
- Trigo Chacón, Manuel. Los estados y las relaciones internacionales. Editorial Visión Libros, 2008. ISBN 978-84-9886-332-1
- ISBN 978-84-7528-152-0