Battle of Vélez-Málaga

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  (Redirected from Battle of Malaga)
Jump to: navigation, search
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
Battle of Malaga, 1704.jpg
The Battle of Malaga by Isaac Sailmaker. Oil on canvas, 1704.
Date 24 August 1704
Location near Málaga, Spain
36°42′15″N 4°22′10″W / 36.704293°N 4.369526°W / 36.704293; -4.369526Coordinates: 36°42′15″N 4°22′10″W / 36.704293°N 4.369526°W / 36.704293; -4.369526
Result Indecisive; Allied strategic victory
Belligerents
France[1] Kingdom of France

Spain Kingdom of Spain

 England Kingdom of 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 and losses
1,600 dead or wounded 2,700 dead or wounded
v • d • e


The Battle of Málaga (or Vélez-Málaga) was the largest naval battle in the War of the Spanish Succession. It 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 Vélez-Málaga, 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 Vélez-Málaga 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

[edit] Rear

The rear division comprised the Dutch element of the Anglo-Dutch fleet.

  • Graaf van Albemarle (64, flag of Lieutenant-Admiral Gerard Callenburgh) - blew up on 27 August on the way back to Gibraltar.
  • Unie (90, flag of Vice-Admiral J. G. van Wassenaer)
  • Gelderland (72, Capt. P. Schrijver)
  • Dordrecht (72, Capt. van der Pot)
  • Katwijk (72, Capt. J. C. Ockersse)
  • Wapen van Vriesland (64, Capt. C. Middagten)
  • Wapen van Utrecht (64, Capt. Bolck)
  • Bannier (64, Capt. J. W. van Ghent)
  • Leeuw (64)
  • Vlissingen (64)
  • Nijmegen (54, Capt. H. Lijnslager)
  • Damiaten (52)

[edit] Others

[edit] Total

3614 guns, 22543 men

[edit] France (Toulouse and d'Estrées)

  • Sérieux (70, Chamelin)
  • Foudroyant (104, flagship of Toulouse)

[edit] Vanguard

[edit] Centre

[edit] Rear

[edit] Others

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

[edit] Total

3577 guns, 24275 men

[edit] References

  1. ^ George Ripley, Charles Anderson Dana, The American Cyclopaedia, New York, 1874, p. 250, "...the standard of France was white, sprinkled with golden fleur de lis...". *[1]The original Banner of France was strewn with fleurs-de-lis. *[2]:on the reverse of this plate it says: "Le pavillon royal était véritablement le drapeau national au dix-huitième siecle...Vue du chateau d'arrière d'un vaisseau de guerre de haut rang portant le pavillon royal (blanc, avec les armes de France)."[3] from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica: "The oriflamme and the Chape de St Martin were succeeded at the end of the 16th century, when Henry III., the last of the house of Valois, came to the throne, by the white standard powdered with fleurs-de-lis. This in turn gave place to the famous tricolour."

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_V%C3%A9lez-M%C3%A1laga"