Capture of the Rosily Squadron
Encyclopedia
The Capture of the Rosily Squadron took place on 14 June 1808, in Cadiz, Spain
, nearly three years after the Battle of Trafalgar
, when the Spanish had risen against the French invaders
. Five French ships of the line and a frigate were also still in the port and had remained there since that British victory. Admiral Rosily
, after an engagement with the Spanish lasting five days, surrendered his entire squadron with the four thousand seamen then on board.
acted in the manner that was most suitable to his situation, endeavouring to gain enough time for the arrival at Cadiz of those troops which had been dispatched from Madrid to Andalusia
. He took up defensive positions, beyond the reach of the land batteries, in the channel which leads to the Caracas. While anchored there, he first offered to quit the bay, in order to quiet the multitude; he next proposed to the British, who were blockading the port, to send his cannon ashore, to keep his crews on board and to conceal his flag. In exchange, he required hostages for the safety of his sick, the French inhabitants of Cadiz and a pledge that he should be secured from attack. The British would not consent to this.
Spanish governor of Cadiz Tomás Morla, refused to comply with the propositions of the French Admiral and required that the French squadron should surrender.
On his refusal, the Spaniards sited batteries on the Isle of Leon
and near Fort Louis.
The French ships were:
Neptune 80
Héros 74
Pluton
74
Algesiras 80
Argonaute
74
Cornélie
44
On the following morning, the 10th, the cannonade recommenced and continued until 2 PM, when the French flagship, the Héros, hoisted a flag of truce. Shortly afterwards Vice-Admiral Rosily addressed a letter to Spanish governor Morla, offering to disembark his guns and ammunition, but to retain his men and not hoist any colours. These terms were considered unacceptable, the Spaniards prepared to renew the attack upon the French squadron with an increase of force. On the 14th, at 7 AM, an additional battery of 30 long 24-pounders were ready to act and numerous gun and mortar vessels took-up their stations. The French ships struck their colours
, which in the course of the forenoon, were replaced by those of Spain.
The British were impatient spectators of this action. Admiral Collingwood
, who commanded the blockade of Cadiz, made an offer of co-operation, but his offer was refused by the Spanish. It was enough for them that the British should prevent the fleet from escaping; they were not disposed to give them any claim to a prey which would be captured without their aid.
The French suffered little human loss, the Spaniards had only four men killed. Spanish governor Tomás Morla, did not wish to employ more violent means of destruction, such as heated shot
; he being certain of the success of his attack, it also being impossible for the French to offer much resistance.
Mr George Canning
, His Majesty's Foreign Secretary, stated:
"No longer remember that war has existed between Spain and Great Britain. Every nation which resists the exorbitant power of France becomes immediately, and whatever may have been its previous relations with us, the natural ally of Great Britain".
During the journey of 4 July, the British government emitted an order, declaring that all hostilities between Great Britain and Spain would cease with immediate effect.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, nearly three years after the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
, when the Spanish had risen against the French invaders
Dos de Mayo Uprising
On the second of May , 1808, the people of Madrid rebelled against the occupation of the city by French troops, provoking a brutal repression by the French Imperial forces and triggering the Peninsular War.-Background:...
. Five French ships of the line and a frigate were also still in the port and had remained there since that British victory. Admiral Rosily
François Étienne de Rosily-Mesros
François Étienne de Rosily-Mesros was a French naval commander of the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars. He is notable as being chosen by Napoleon to succeed Villeneuve as commander of the combined Franco-Spanish fleet at Cádiz fleet, arriving to take up his appointment just after its...
, after an engagement with the Spanish lasting five days, surrendered his entire squadron with the four thousand seamen then on board.
Background
Under difficult circumstances, Rear-Admiral RosilyFrançois Étienne de Rosily-Mesros
François Étienne de Rosily-Mesros was a French naval commander of the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars. He is notable as being chosen by Napoleon to succeed Villeneuve as commander of the combined Franco-Spanish fleet at Cádiz fleet, arriving to take up his appointment just after its...
acted in the manner that was most suitable to his situation, endeavouring to gain enough time for the arrival at Cadiz of those troops which had been dispatched from Madrid to Andalusia
Battle of Bailén
The Battle of Bailén was contested in 1808 between the Spanish Army of Andalusia, led by Generals Francisco Castaños and Theodor von Reding, and the Imperial French Army's II corps d'observation de la Gironde under General Pierre Dupont de l'Étang...
. He took up defensive positions, beyond the reach of the land batteries, in the channel which leads to the Caracas. While anchored there, he first offered to quit the bay, in order to quiet the multitude; he next proposed to the British, who were blockading the port, to send his cannon ashore, to keep his crews on board and to conceal his flag. In exchange, he required hostages for the safety of his sick, the French inhabitants of Cadiz and a pledge that he should be secured from attack. The British would not consent to this.
Spanish governor of Cadiz Tomás Morla, refused to comply with the propositions of the French Admiral and required that the French squadron should surrender.
On his refusal, the Spaniards sited batteries on the Isle of Leon
Isla de León
Isla de León is a historical name for the piece of land between the city of Cádiz and the Spanish peninsula.In 1813 it was renamed San Fernando in honour of King Fernando VII of Spain for his courage in the defense of the city during the Siege of Cádiz by the French....
and near Fort Louis.
The French ships were:
Neptune 80
Héros 74
Pluton
French ship Pluton (1804)
Pluton was a 74-gun French ship of the line built at Toulon.It took part in the Battle of Trafalgar under Captain Julien Cosmao escaped to Cádiz with other ships. Two days later, on 23 October 1805, she was the flagship of the counter-attack from Cádiz, together with Indomptable, Neptune, Rayo, and...
74
Algesiras 80
Argonaute
French ship Argonaute (1798)
The Argonaute was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.Under Villaret de Joyeuse, she took part in the expedition to Saint Domingue.She took part in the Battle of Trafalgar and managed to return to Cádiz...
74
Cornélie
French frigate Cornélie (1797)
The Cornélie was a 44-gun Virginie class frigate of the French Navy.In April 1799, along with Vengeance and Sémillante, she fought against HMS St Fiorenzo and Amelia....
44
Battle
On 9 June, at 3 PM, a division of Spanish gun and mortar boats and the batteries erected on the Isle of Leon and at Fort Louis commenced hostilities against the French ships with steady fire, which was kept up until nightfall. The Spaniards had even requested that two ships of the line, the Principe de Asturias (112) and the Terrible (74), help them.On the following morning, the 10th, the cannonade recommenced and continued until 2 PM, when the French flagship, the Héros, hoisted a flag of truce. Shortly afterwards Vice-Admiral Rosily addressed a letter to Spanish governor Morla, offering to disembark his guns and ammunition, but to retain his men and not hoist any colours. These terms were considered unacceptable, the Spaniards prepared to renew the attack upon the French squadron with an increase of force. On the 14th, at 7 AM, an additional battery of 30 long 24-pounders were ready to act and numerous gun and mortar vessels took-up their stations. The French ships struck their colours
Striking the colors
Striking the colors is the universally recognized indication of surrender, particularly for ships at sea. Surrender is dated from the time the ensign is struck.-In international law:# "Colors. A national flag . The colors . ....
, which in the course of the forenoon, were replaced by those of Spain.
The British were impatient spectators of this action. Admiral Collingwood
Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood
Vice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood was an admiral of the Royal Navy, notable as a partner with Lord Nelson in several of the British victories of the Napoleonic Wars, and frequently as Nelson's successor in commands.-Early years:Collingwood was born in Newcastle upon Tyne...
, who commanded the blockade of Cadiz, made an offer of co-operation, but his offer was refused by the Spanish. It was enough for them that the British should prevent the fleet from escaping; they were not disposed to give them any claim to a prey which would be captured without their aid.
The French suffered little human loss, the Spaniards had only four men killed. Spanish governor Tomás Morla, did not wish to employ more violent means of destruction, such as heated shot
Heated shot
Heated shot is the practice of heating round shot before firing from muzzle-loading cannons, for the purpose of setting fire to enemy warships, buildings, or equipment. The use of hot shot dates back centuries and only ceased when vessels armored with iron replaced wooden warships in the world's...
; he being certain of the success of his attack, it also being impossible for the French to offer much resistance.
Aftermath
Immediately after the surrender of the French fleet, the Spanish Supreme Junta requested the British Admiral give passage in one of his vessels to the commissioners whom it wished to send for the purpose of negotiating with the Government of his Britannic Majesty for an alliance against Napoleon.Mr George Canning
George Canning
George Canning PC, FRS was a British statesman and politician who served as Foreign Secretary and briefly Prime Minister.-Early life: 1770–1793:...
, His Majesty's Foreign Secretary, stated:
"No longer remember that war has existed between Spain and Great Britain. Every nation which resists the exorbitant power of France becomes immediately, and whatever may have been its previous relations with us, the natural ally of Great Britain".
During the journey of 4 July, the British government emitted an order, declaring that all hostilities between Great Britain and Spain would cease with immediate effect.
External links
- La captura de la flota francesa en Cádiz y la evacuación de las tropas españolas en Zelanda en 1808. Revista de Historia Naval