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On the 28th November 1751 at dawn, being to the WSW of Cape St. Vincent, at a distance of 52 leagues, the ship Dragon, under the command of Captain Pedro Stuart and the ship America, commanded by Captain Luis de Cordova, sighted to windward, about two leagues away, two large ships, which, on seeing them, arrived astern of them, flying Dutch flags, which were matched by the English flags on the part of the division under the command of Pedro Stuart.
They continued along the same course, with the wind from the NE and ENW, and the wind from the east and south-east, girding the wind as much as possible, to gain windward, in order to be able to reconnoitre them.
But when the Spanish ships were already on the port side of the Berber captain's ship, almost to leeward, a little more than a cannon shot away, they released the Algerian flags, and their commander secured them with a cannon shot.
The Algerian ships manoeuvred and immediately the Spanish commander did the same, tacking on board, and with only the topsails and bowsprits, the Dragon went to them in a turn, with the ship America astern, recognising that these ships were the two largest that the Regency of Algiers possessed, called the Danzik (or Dancik according to other sources, which was the flagship) of 60 guns and the Castillo Nuevo (sic), of 54 guns.
They were carrying their baitboats, and to prevent them from being joined in a collision, it was decided to separate them, which was achieved at 11 am.
Thus, one of the Algerian ships turned SW, to run a long way, and the other turned ESE from the bowline.
Spain | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Spanish navy | |||
| Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
| Name : Dragon (64)
1744-1783 Spanish 64 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | Fleet Flagship 3 dead, 25 wounded in both ships | ||
| Name : America (62)
1736-1762 Spanish 62 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line | Francisco CumplidoSpanish , Naval Sailor Service 1699-1799 Luis de CórdovaSpanish Naval Sailor Service 1761-1782 | ||
Regency of Algiers | |||
| Algerian Vessels | |||
| Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
| Name : Dancik (60)
1751-1751 Algerian 60 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line | Mohamed ChirifAlgerian Naval Sailor Privateer Service 1751 | Fleet Flagship 194 dead, 90 wounded, 320 prisoners Burnt 50 freed slaves | |
| Name : Castillo Nuevo (54)
1751-1758 Algerian 54 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line | No Effect | ||
The second ship could only be given two satisfactory discharges, because she continued her tacking, and, keeping well to windward, did not enter into service again, so the Dragon continued with full sail following the one to leeward, which was the flagship, cannonading it all afternoon, without being able to get very close to it.
The ship America then entered to continue the fire, the Dragon retiring to repair her rigging, manoeuvres and sails, which were all in pieces from her fire, which was horrendous.
At half past eight in the morning, already repaired in the best possible way, and with another topsail, which had to be made new, because the one she had taken from the first attack was in tatters, the ship Dragon returned to her duties, retiring to repair the America.
At half past five in the afternoon, the Dragon reached the Danzik. Side by side with rifle fire, they engaged in a fierce naval battle until half past two in the morning of the 29th without stopping, leaving the Danzik dismasted from the Danzik's topsail mast and her main halyard cut.
Even so, the Algerian vessel was not fighting at a disadvantage. Cesáreo Fernández Duro explains:
(The Danzik) had to face the two Spaniards, but not at a disadvantage, because as the latter were to windward, the heavy sea prevented them from opening the doors of the lower battery and using the larger calibre guns, while the Barbary ship used its own for the very reason of raising the heel of the ship, the battalions.
They kept up the fight without stopping, with the America, which after being composed also returned to the fight, until half past two in the afternoon, when, due to the little wind, together with the heavy sea from the NW and the lack of manoeuvres, separated them outside the cannon range, leaving the enemy ship without a mizzenmast, with the stern in pieces, all the manoeuvres cut off and the sails in tatters.
The Dragon also fired eight shots into the water, and when she was about to attack that morning, she saw the Algerian ship lower her flag.
At about midday, until half past two in the afternoon that day, the Dragon, due to the wind, was unable to get within striking distance of the Danzik.
But she did manage to do so from that hour, and together with the America, they beat her until the sun set, until the little wind and the heavy sea from the NW separated them for the second time, leaving the Algerian ship in ruins but unwilling to surrender. Needless to say, this unreasonable bravery cost them dearly, as we shall see.
With no hope of being saved, nor any other advantage than the power (despite the heavy seas) to play her low battery, which was very flowery and beautiful (4), this was the reason why she was not attacked on the first of December; but on the second, at half past twelve, the Dragon did it with all her strength and courage not to leave her until she surrendered.
And there, between the two Spanish ships alternately, with continuous discharges, and while the Dragon was beating her at half past four in the afternoon, the Danzik finally lowered her flag and raised a white flag.
Frigate Lieutenant Domingo Martineli immediately went on board the surrendered vessel to find out what state she was in and what they meant by that white flag. Let us remember that at sea the surrender was done by removing the flag, not by adding another one.
Here we do not know what they told the Spanish officer about this.
He returned with some Christian captives, who said that the Moors had surrendered, waiting for them to be taken out as soon as possible because they were going to sink.
Martineli then returned to the Algerian ship, with the first carpenter and the first caulker of his ship, so that he could bring the Arráez and the main officers on board and they could truly recognise the state the ship was in.
At nine o'clock in the evening Martineli returned with the Arráez, called Mohammed Chirif (sic), and his principal officers, passing back to the Dansik to continue the diligences of stopping the water, and to see if there was any way of saving it.
From there a few hours later he went back on board, with the carpenter and caulker, and he and the masters assured him that it was impossible to fit out that ship, which had been overhauled and repaired with cannon shots.
In fact, there were so many bullet holes in the water that it was very difficult to stop the water, and there was already so much in the hold that it could not be bailed out.
In addition to this, she was in such pieces all over that she had no shape of a ship insIde, and with the heavy sea from the NW, which had risen again, she had just thrown the mainmast and foremast into the water.
Having completed the task of removing the people, at eight o'clock this evening, the Constable of the Dragon set fire to the surrendered ship.
At nine o'clock it was burning all over, until at two o'clock in the morning of the 4th, when the fire was diminishing, as almost all the ship was already consumed, the Spanish ships set sail for Cadiz, the gunpowder on the Algerian ship not having done any damage because the lockers were full of water.