action of 23 August 1806
{{Short description|1806 battle of the Napoleonic Wars}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
| conflict = Action of 23 August 1806
| partof = the Caribbean campaign of 1803–1810
| image = Захват фрегата Pomona 23 августа 1806 года (cropped).jpg
| caption = Capture of the Pomona by Anson & Arethusa off Havannah, 23 Aug 1806
Thomas Whitcombe
| date = 23 August 1806
| place = Off Havana, Caribbean Sea
| result = British victory
| combatant1 = United Kingdom
| combatant2 = Spain
| commander1 = Charles Lydiard
Charles Brisbane
| commander2 = Pedro Pablo de Sanguineto y Basso{{KIA}}
| strength1 = 2 frigates
| strength2 = 1 frigate
12 gunboats
1 shore battery
| casualties1 = 2 killed
32 wounded
| casualties2 = 317 captured
1 frigate captured
6 gunboats captured
3 gunboats destroyed{{cite book |last=Tracy |title=Who's who in Nelson's Navy |page=232}}
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox French Revolutionary Wars: Anglo-Spanish War (1796)}}{{Campaignbox Napoleonic Wars: West Indies}}
}}
The action of 23 August 1806 was a minor naval battle of the Napoleonic Wars fought between the British and Spanish off Havana, Cuba. In the engagement, the Spanish frigate Pomona was captured by the British frigates {{HMS|Anson|1781|6}} and {{HMS|Arethusa|1781|6}} under the commands of Captain Charles Lydiard and Charles Brisbane respectively. As well as the frigate being captured, a shore battery was silenced and a fleet of gunboats was defeated.
Background
The Royal Navy dominated the West Indies region after the French defeat at San Domingo. The Spanish had been on the defensive due to the diminished French naval power and the subsequent blockade of Cádiz, which had been made possible by the battle of Trafalgar. Lydiard was appointed to command the 38-gun {{HMS|Anson|1781|6}}{{cite book |last=Winfield |title=British Warships of the Age of Sail 1794–1817|page=92}} in 1805. Anson had originally been a 64-gun third rate, but had been razeed in 1794.{{cite book |last=Gardiner|title=Frigates of the Napoleonic Wars |page=41}} He sailed Anson to the West Indies in early 1806 and in August was sailing in company with Captain Charles Brisbane's {{HMS|Arethusa|1781|6}} when on 23 August they came across the 38-gun Spanish frigate Pomona off Havana, guarded by a shore battery and twelve gunboats.
Action
The Pomona attempted to enter the harbour whereupon Lydiard and Brisbane bore up and engaged her.{{cite book |last=James|title=James' Naval History|page=317}} The gunboats came out to defend her, whereupon the two British frigates anchored between the shore battery and gunboats on one side, and the Pomona on the other. A hard fought action began, lasting for 35 minutes until the Pomona struck her colours. Three of the gunboats were blown up, six were sunk, and the remaining three were badly damaged. Some of the Spanish were rescued in all total of 317 were captured many of them wounded. The shore battery ceased fire after an explosion damaged it.
Aftermath
There were no casualties aboard Anson, but Arethusa lost two killed and 32 wounded, with Brisbane among the latter. The captured Pomona was subsequently taken into the Navy as {{HMS|Cuba|1806|6}}.{{cite book |last=Colledge |title=Ships of the Royal Navy |page=85}}{{cite book |last=Winfield |title=British Warships of the Age of Sail 1794–1817|page=202}} Charles Brisbane would later take the Dutch island of Curaçao in January 1807, using Anson to achieve that goal.
References
;Citations
{{reflist|2}}
;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book| last =Allen| first = Joseph| year = 1852| title =Battles of the British Navy| publisher = Henry G. Bohn| volume = 2}}
- {{cite book| last =Campbell| first = John|author2= Stockdale, John Joseph| year = 1818| title =The naval history of Great Britain: commencing with the earliest period of history, and continued to the expedition against Algiers, under the command of Lord Exmouth, in 1816. Including the history and lives of British admirals| publisher = Baldwyn and co.| volume = 8}}
- {{Cite Colledge2006}}
- {{cite book| last = James| first = William| authorlink = William James (naval historian)| title = James' Naval History. Epitomised in one volume by Robert O'Byrne| publisher = Adamant Media Corporation| isbn = 1-4021-8133-7}}
- {{cite book|first=Robert|last=Gardiner| title=Frigates of the Napoleonic Wars| publisher=Chatham Publishing |year=2006|location=London|isbn=1-86176-292-5}}
- {{cite book |first=Nicholas|last=Tracy|title=Who's who in Nelson's Navy: 200 Naval Heroes|year=2006|publisher=Chatham Publishing|location=London|isbn=1-86176-244-5}}
- {{cite book |first=Rif|last=Winfield|title=British Warships of the Age of Sail 1794–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates|publisher=Seaforth|year=2007|isbn=1-86176-246-1}}
{{refend}}
{{coord missing|Cuba}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Action Of 23 August 1806}}
Category:Caribbean campaign of 1803–1810
Category:Anglo-Spanish War (1796–1808)
Category:19th century in Havana
Category:Naval battles of the Napoleonic Wars involving the United Kingdom
Category:Naval battles of the Napoleonic Wars involving Spain