Action of August 1702
Encyclopedia
The Action of August 1702 took place from 19–25 August 1702 O.S. between an English squadron
under Vice-Admiral John Benbow
and a French under Admiral Jean du Casse
, during the War of the Spanish Succession
. Benbow vigorously attacked the French squadron, but the refusal of most of his captains to support the action allowed du Casse to escape. Benbow lost a leg during the engagement and died of illness about two months later. Two of the captains were convicted of cowardice and shot.
Benbow's resolution to pursue the French, in what proved to be his last fight, proved irresistible to the public imagination. The events of the fight inspired a number of ballads, usually entitled Admiral Benbow or Brave Benbow, which were still favourites among British sailors more than a century later.
with a squadron to compel its allegiance to Philip V
. Benbow set out to intercept them.
, off Santa Marta
, a little to the east of the mouth of the Rio Magdalena. He ordered his squadron to engage, but Defiance and Windsor being astern and showing no great haste, they had to be ordered to make more sail. Benbow intended to wait for Defiance to come up; but Falmouth opened the engagement by attacking the frigate, and Windsor a ship abreast of her, at four o'clock. Breda joined in, but Defiance and Windsor broke off after a few broadsides and left the Breda under fire from the French, the battle continuing until nightfall. Breda and Ruby pursued the French all night, while the rest of the squadron straggled.
Pursuit continued through the 20th, with the Breda and Ruby firing chase-guns as they could. Engaging again on the morning of the 21st, Ruby was badly damaged; Defiance and Windsor refused action, though abreast of the last French ship. The Greenwich had now fallen five league
s astern. On the 22nd, Breda captured the galley Anne, originally an English ship captured by the French, and the damaged Ruby was ordered to return to Port Royal
.
During the night of the 24th, Benbow engaged one of the enemy ships alone and had his right leg wrecked by a chain shot, returning to the quarter-deck as soon as it could be dressed. Flag-Captain Fogg ordered the other captains of the squadron to keep the line of battle; in response, Captain Kirkby of Defiance came aboard and told Benbow, "You had better desist, the French are very strong." Finding the other captains largely of the same opinion, Benbow broke off and returned to Jamaica
.
after the engagement:
Such was indeed his course: Benbow held courts-martial upon his captains upon their return. Captains Kirkby and Wade were found guilty of cowardice and sentenced to be shot; Wade was said to have been drunk throughout the engagement. Captain Constable was cleared of the charge of cowardice, but was convicted on other charges and cashiered. Captain Hudson died before he could be tried. Captains Fogg and Vincent were charged with having signed a paper with the other captains of the squadron, stating they would not fight, but they represented this as a device to keep Captain Kirkby from deserting; Benbow testifying in their favour, they were merely suspended.
Benbow's leg was amputated; but a fever developed, doubtless abetted by the low conduct of his captains, and he died on 4 November 1702. Kirkby, Wade, and Constable were sent to Plymouth aboard HMS Bristol
, where their sentences were confirmed by the Lord High Admiral. Kirkby and Wade were shot aboard Bristol on 16 April 1703. Fogg and Vincent were permitted to return to the service.
Squadron (naval)
A squadron, or naval squadron, is a unit of 3-4 major warships, transport ships, submarines, or sometimes small craft that may be part of a larger task force or a fleet...
under Vice-Admiral John Benbow
John Benbow
John Benbow was an English officer in the Royal Navy. He joined the navy aged 25 years, seeing action against Algerian pirates before leaving and joining the merchant navy where he traded until the Glorious Revolution of 1688, whereupon he returned to the Royal Navy and was commissioned.Benbow...
and a French under Admiral Jean du Casse
Jean du Casse
Jean Baptiste du Casse was a French Buccaneer and Admiral.In his youth, he was not allowed into the French Navy because his parents were Huguenots...
, during the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
. Benbow vigorously attacked the French squadron, but the refusal of most of his captains to support the action allowed du Casse to escape. Benbow lost a leg during the engagement and died of illness about two months later. Two of the captains were convicted of cowardice and shot.
Benbow's resolution to pursue the French, in what proved to be his last fight, proved irresistible to the public imagination. The events of the fight inspired a number of ballads, usually entitled Admiral Benbow or Brave Benbow, which were still favourites among British sailors more than a century later.
Prelude
Upon the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession, Benbow was sent to the West Indies with a small squadron, with the intention of keeping the Spanish possessions there out of the hands of the French. Du Casse was dispatched to CartagenaCartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
with a squadron to compel its allegiance to Philip V
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
. Benbow set out to intercept them.
Course of battle
On 19 August 1702, Benbow's squadron encountered the French along the coast of ColombiaColombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, off Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
, a little to the east of the mouth of the Rio Magdalena. He ordered his squadron to engage, but Defiance and Windsor being astern and showing no great haste, they had to be ordered to make more sail. Benbow intended to wait for Defiance to come up; but Falmouth opened the engagement by attacking the frigate, and Windsor a ship abreast of her, at four o'clock. Breda joined in, but Defiance and Windsor broke off after a few broadsides and left the Breda under fire from the French, the battle continuing until nightfall. Breda and Ruby pursued the French all night, while the rest of the squadron straggled.
Pursuit continued through the 20th, with the Breda and Ruby firing chase-guns as they could. Engaging again on the morning of the 21st, Ruby was badly damaged; Defiance and Windsor refused action, though abreast of the last French ship. The Greenwich had now fallen five league
League (unit)
A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
s astern. On the 22nd, Breda captured the galley Anne, originally an English ship captured by the French, and the damaged Ruby was ordered to return to Port Royal
Port Royal
Port Royal was a city located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it was the centre of shipping commerce in the Caribbean Sea during the latter half of the 17th century...
.
During the night of the 24th, Benbow engaged one of the enemy ships alone and had his right leg wrecked by a chain shot, returning to the quarter-deck as soon as it could be dressed. Flag-Captain Fogg ordered the other captains of the squadron to keep the line of battle; in response, Captain Kirkby of Defiance came aboard and told Benbow, "You had better desist, the French are very strong." Finding the other captains largely of the same opinion, Benbow broke off and returned to Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
.
Aftermath
Benbow received a letter from Jean du CasseJean du Casse
Jean Baptiste du Casse was a French Buccaneer and Admiral.In his youth, he was not allowed into the French Navy because his parents were Huguenots...
after the engagement:
Sir,
I had little hopes on Monday last but to have supped in your cabin: but it pleased God to order it otherwise. I am thankful for it. As for those cowardly captains who deserted you, hang them up, for by God they deserve it.
Yours,
Du Casse
Such was indeed his course: Benbow held courts-martial upon his captains upon their return. Captains Kirkby and Wade were found guilty of cowardice and sentenced to be shot; Wade was said to have been drunk throughout the engagement. Captain Constable was cleared of the charge of cowardice, but was convicted on other charges and cashiered. Captain Hudson died before he could be tried. Captains Fogg and Vincent were charged with having signed a paper with the other captains of the squadron, stating they would not fight, but they represented this as a device to keep Captain Kirkby from deserting; Benbow testifying in their favour, they were merely suspended.
Benbow's leg was amputated; but a fever developed, doubtless abetted by the low conduct of his captains, and he died on 4 November 1702. Kirkby, Wade, and Constable were sent to Plymouth aboard HMS Bristol
HMS Bristol (1653)
HMS Bristol was a 44-gun fourth-rate frigate of the English Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England at Portsmouth, and launched in 1653. She was the first ship of the Royal Navy to bear this name. By 1677 her armament had been increased to 48 guns...
, where their sentences were confirmed by the Lord High Admiral. Kirkby and Wade were shot aboard Bristol on 16 April 1703. Fogg and Vincent were permitted to return to the service.
Benbow's squadron
Benbow's squadron consisted of seven ships:- BredaHMS Breda (1692)HMS Breda was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Woolwich Dockyard on 23 April 1692. She was named after the Declaration of Breda made in 1660 by Charles II of England....
, 70, Captain Christopher Fogg (flagship) - DefianceHMS Defiance (1675)HMS Defiance was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Phineas Pett II at Chatham Dockyard, and launched in 1675.In the summer of 1678, Defiance was under the command of John Ernle....
, 64, Captain Richard Kirkby - GreenwichHMS Greenwich (1666)HMS Greenwich was a 54-gun fourth-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Christopher Pett at Woolwich Dockyard and launched in 1666....
, 54, Captain Cooper Wade - RubyHMS Ruby (1652)HMS Ruby was a 40-gun fourth rate frigate of the English Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Peter Pett at Deptford, and was launched on 15 March 1652....
, 48, Captain George Walton - PendennisHMS Pendennis (1695)HMS Pendennis was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy, built by Robert and John Castle at Deptford, and launched in 1695.The Pendennis was captured by two French 50-gun ships off the Dogger Bank in October 1705....
, 48, Captain Thomas Hudson - WindsorHMS Windsor (1695)HMS Windsor was a 60-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford on 31 October 1695.On 18 November 1725 she was ordered to be taken to pieces and rebuilt according to the 1719 Establishment at Deptford, and she was relaunched on 27 October 1729...
, 48, Captain John Constable - FalmouthHMS Falmouth (1693)HMS Falmouth was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy, launched at Deptford on 25 June 1693.The ship took part in the Action of August 1702 and on the 4th and 5th days of the action supported Admiral John Benbow attacks when other members of the squadron failed to do...
, 48, Captain Samuel Vincent
Du Casse's squadron
- Heureux, 70, flag of du Casse, with Captain Bennet
- Agréable, 56, Captain de Roussy
- Phénix, 50, Captain de Poudens
- Apollon, 50, Captain de Demuin
- Prince de Frise, 56 Lieut. de St André
- One transport
- Four sloopSloopA sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
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