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Spanish frigate El Gamo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
El Gamo (first from right, foreground) at the action of 6 May 1801
History
Spain
NameEl Gamo
NamesakeSpanish for "the fallow deer"
Captured6 May 1801 by HMS Speedy
FateSold to the Regency of Algiers as a merchant ship
General characteristics
Class & type32-gun xebec-frigate
Displacement≈600 tons
Sail planInterchangeable xebec-rigged and ship-rigged
Complement319
Armament
  • 32 guns:
  • 22 × 12-pounder guns
  • 8 × 8-pounder guns
  • 2 × 24-pounder carronades

El Gamo was a 32-gun xebec-frigate of the Spanish Navy captured by the Royal Navy sloop-of-war HMS Speedy in the action of 6 May 1801. The engagement was notable for the large disparity between the size and firepower of El Gamo and Speedy; the former was around four times the size, had much greater firepower and a crew six times the size of Speedy, which had a reduced crew of 54 at the time.[1] After her capture, the British sold El Gamo to the Regency of Algiers as a merchant ship.

References

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  1. ^ Thomas, Donald (2002). Cochrane: The Story of Britannia's Sea Wolf. London, United Kingdom: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0304356591.

Bibliography

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  • Winfield, Rif; Tredrea, John M.; García-Torralba Pérez, Enrique & Blasco Felip, Manuel (2023). Spanish Warships in the Age of Sail 1700—1860: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5267-9078-1.
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