Battle of Vélez-Málaga

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This article is about the 1704 battle. For the 1937 battle, see Battle of Málaga.


Battle of Málaga
Part of the War of the Spanish Succession

The Battle of Malaga by Isaac Sailmaker. Oil on canvas, 1704.
Date August 24, 1704
Location near Málaga, Spain
Result Indecisive , Allied strategic victory
Combatants
France
Spain		 England
United Provinces
Commanders
Comte de Toulouse
Victor-Marie d'Estrées		 George Rooke
Strength
50 warships
6 frigates
(3,577 guns)
24,275 men		 53 ships of the line
6 frigates
7 fireships
(3,614 guns)
22,543 men
Casualties
no ships lost
1,600-3,000 dead or wounded		 no ships lost
2,700-3,000 dead
War of the Spanish Succession
Carpi – Chieri – Cremona – Luzzara – Cádiz – Friedlingen – Vigo Bay – Ekeren – Höchstädt – Schellenberg – Blenheim – Málaga – Cassano – Calcinato – Elixheim – Ramillies – Turin – Almansa – Toulon – Oudenarde – Lille – Malplaquet – Saragossa – Almenara – Brihuega – Villaviciosa – Bouchain – Denain – Barcelona

The Battle of Málaga (or Vélez-Málaga) was the largest naval battle in the War of the Spanish Succession that took place on 24 August 1704 south of Málaga, Spain.

[edit] The Battle

Less than a week after the capture of Gibraltar, Admiral George Rooke received intelligence that a French fleet under the command of Toulouse and d'Estrées was approaching Gibraltar. Leaving half his marines to defend the newly won prize, Rooke immediately set off with his combined English-Dutch fleet to engage the French.

The outcome of the action that followed, the Battle of Malaga, was indecisive. Not a single vessel was sunk or captured on either side but the mutual battering left many ships barely seaworthy and casualties on both sides were high.

Byng's squadron, having expended so much ammunition in the previous bombardment of Gibraltar, was obliged to quit the line.

During the following day, the French kept their distance. On the next morning, the French fleet was nowhere to be seen. Rooke was fearful that it might have gone ahead of him to Gibraltar. In fact, the French had returned to Toulon claiming a great naval victory. The reality was, however, that by retreating to Toulon the French turned what had been a tactical stalemate into an Allied strategic victory, because after the Battle of Malaga the French Navy never again emerged from port in full strength.


[edit] Ships involved

[edit] England/Netherlands (George Rooke)

(90-gunners and above were 3-deckers)

[edit] Vanguard

[edit] Centre

  • Royal Catherine (90, flag of George Rooke, captain Fletcher)
  • St George (96, John Jennings)
  • Shrewsbury (80, Crowe)
  • Grafton (70, Andrew Leake)
  • Nassau (70, Boyd)
  • Eagle (70, Lord Hamilton)
  • Monmouth (70, John Baker)
  • Montagu (60)
  • Panther (50)
  • Kent (70, flag of Thomas Dilkes, captain Hanway)
  • Cambridge (80)
  • Royal Oak (76)
  • Bedford (70, Thomas Hardy)
  • Suffolk (70, Kirkton)
  • Burford (70, Roffey)
  • Monk (60, Mighells)
  • Swallow (50, Haddock)
  • Ranelagh (80, flag of Georg Byng, captain Cowe)
  • Somerset (80)
  • Dorsetshire (80, Edward Whitaker)
  • Torbay (80, Caldwell)
  • Essex (70)
  • Le Ferme (70, ex-French, Wyld)
  • Kingston (60, Acton)
  • Triton (50, ex-French)
  • Centurion (50)

[edit] Rear

  • ?(flag of LA Gerard Callenburgh)
  • Gelderland (72, Schrijver)
  • Dordrecht (72, van der Pot)
  • Albemarle (64, Dutch - Blew up 27 August on way back to Gibraltar)
  • 8 other Dutch ships of the line (LA Callenburgh and RA Vanderdussen)

[edit] Others

  • 6 frigates
  • Star (bomb)
  • Terror (bomb)
  • 7 fireships

some tenders

[edit] Total

3614 guns, 22543 men

[edit] France (Toulouse and d'Estrées)

  • Sérieux (70, Chamelin)
  • Foudrayant (104)

[edit] Vanguard

[edit] Centre

[edit] Rear

  • ? (flag of RA de Langeron)
  • others

[edit] Others

  • 6 frigates
  • 6 fireships
  • 28 large galleys
  • 5 tenders

[edit] Total

3577 guns, 24275 men

[edit] Links

Battle of Velez-Malaga


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