Battle of Toulon (1744)

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Battle of Toulon
Part of the War of the Austrian Succession
The Battle of Toulon by José Manuel de Moraleda. Watercolour on paper, 1783.
Date 22 February 1744 Location Mediterranean Sea, near Toulon, France Result Franco-Spanish victory
Belligerents
Spain [1] France	Great Britain
Commanders
Juan José Navarro	Thomas Mathews, Richard Lestock, William Rowley
Strength
27 ships of the line, 3 frigates, 3 others, (1,806 guns)	30 ships of the line, 3 frigates, 6 others, (2,280 guns)
Casualties and losses
149 dead, 467 wounded, 6 ships damaged[2]	~800 dead or wounded,[2] 10 ships damaged, 1 ship sunk

v • d • e War of the Austrian Succession Mollwitz – Chotusitz – Dettingen – Toulon – Pfaffenhofen – Fontenoy – Hohenfriedberg – Soor – Hennersdorf – Kesselsdorf – Madras – Rocoux – 1st Finisterre – Lauffeld – Bergen op Zoom – 2nd Finisterre – Havana

The naval Battle of Toulon or Battle of Cape Sicié took place on 22 February and 23 February 1744 (New Style) between 1:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Toulon, France (Cape Sicié is near Toulon). A Spanish convoy defeated Britain's Mediterranean fleet. The French fleet only joined the fighting at the end of the battle, when the British fleet retreated.

Contents 1 Engagement 2 Aftermath 3 Order of Battle 3.1 France and Spain 3.2 Britain (Thomas Mathews) 4 Notes 5 External links

[edit] Engagement

On 22 February 30 British ships under Thomas Mathews attacked the Spanish rear of a French-Spanish combined fleet of 27 ships, while the French centre and vanguard kept apart from the combat. Mathews had been following the French fleet in case either side declared war on the other as part of the War of the Austrian Succession. The 12 Spanish ships were under command of Don Juan José Navarro. At 5:00 p.m., both sides drew away from each other. They attacked each other from afar the next day, but the British suffered heavily, and the French ships approached to help their Spanish allies, forcing the British to withdraw. Finally, on 24 February, Mathews retreated to Italy.

[edit] Aftermath

Mathews' second in command, Vice Admiral Richard Lestock, later petitioned King George II of Great Britain to hold a court-martial against many of the British officers, including Mathews. Mathews and several other officers were dismissed from the Royal Navy.

[edit] Order of Battle

[edit] France and Spain

Van
Boree 64
Tolosa 60
Tigre 50
Eole 64
Alcion 56
Duc d'Orleans 68
Espoir 74 (flag of de Gavaret)
Center
Trident 64
Heureux 60
Aquilon 44
Sólide 64
Diamant 50
Firme 70
Terrible 74 (flag)
Sancti Spiritus 68
Serieux 64
Rear
Oriente* 60
América* 60
Neptuno* 60
Poder* 60 - Damaged and captured but recaptured, scuttled next day
Constante* 70
Real Felipe* 114 (flag of Juan José Navarro)
Hércules* 64
Brillante* 60
Halcón* 60
San Fernando* 64
Soberbio* 60
Santa Isabel* 80
3 frigates
2 brulotes
1 battleship being used as a hospital ship

Ships marked * were Spanish.

[edit] Britain (Thomas Mathews)

Van
Chatham 50
Nassau 70
Chichester 80
Boyne 80
Barfleur 90 (flag of Rowley)
Princess Carolina 80
Berwick 70
Stirling Castle 70 - lead ship of van division, survived engagement
Bedford 70
Center
Dragon 60
Royal Oak 70
Princess 70
Somerset 80
Norfolk 80
Marlborough 90
Dorsetshire 80
Essex 70 (Richard Norris)
Rupert 60
Namur 90 (flag)
Rear
Salisbury 50
Romney 50
Dumkint? 60
Revenge 70
Cambridge 80
Neptune 90 (flag of Lestock)
Torbay 80
Russell 80
Buckingham 70
Elizabeth 70
Kingston 60
Oxford 50
Warwick 60
3 frigates
3 brulotes
3 bergantines (brigantines?)

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• The 1911 Encyclopedia
• La campaña de don Juan José Navarro en el Mediterráneo y la batalla de Sicié (1742-1744)