The Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife was a British attack on the Spanish port city of Santa Cruz in the Canary Islands. Launched by Admiral Horatio Nelson on July 22, 1797, the assault met with defeat and on July 25 Nelson withdrew with the loss of several hundred casualties and his own arm. Combatants Kingdom of Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Spain, Russia, Sardinia France The French Revolutionary Wars occurred between the outbreak of war between the French Revolutionary government and Austria in 1792 and the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. ... July 22 is the 203rd day (204th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 162 days remaining. ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... 1797 (MDCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 11-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Santa Cruz de Tenerife (2005 population 221,627) is a Spanish city on the island of Tenerife, the largest and most populated of the Canary Islands as stated in the 2005 census. ... Lord Nelson Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, Duke of Bronte, KB, RN (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British admiral famous for his participation in the Napoleonic Wars, most notably in the Battle of Trafalgar, where he lost his life. ... Combatants Kingdom of Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Spain, Russia, Sardinia France The French Revolutionary Wars occurred between the outbreak of war between the French Revolutionary government and Austria in 1792 and the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. ... Combatants Great Britain Spain Commanders John Jervis José de Córdoba Strength 15 ships of the line 24 ships of the line Casualties 73 dead 327 wounded Four ships captured 250 dead 550 wounded The naval Battle of Cape St Vincent took place on 14 February 1797, near Cape St. ... The British invasions of the Río de la Plata (Spanish: Invasiones Inglesas al Río de la Plata) were a series of unsuccessful British attempts at military control of the Spanish colonies located around the Río de la Plata basin in South America, between 1806 and 1807, as... Seaport, a painting by Claude Lorrain, 1638 The Port of Wellington at night. ... Santa Cruz de Tenerife (2005 population 221,627) is a Spanish city on the island of Tenerife, the largest and most populated of the Canary Islands as stated in the 2005 census. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. ... Lord Nelson Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, Duke of Bronte, KB, RN (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British admiral famous for his participation in the Napoleonic Wars, most notably in the Battle of Trafalgar, where he lost his life. ... July 22 is the 203rd day (204th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 162 days remaining. ... 1797 (MDCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 11-day-slower Julian calendar). ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ...

Background: Cape St. Vincent and Cádiz

In February 1797 the British routed a Spanish fleet near Cape St. Vincent but failed to strike a solid blow against the Spanish Navy in the uneven struggle. Admiral John Jervis sailed for Lisbon after the engagement, frustrated at the escape of several valuable prizes including the Santísima Trinidad. New orders from the Admiralty demanded that he subdue and blockade the Spanish port of Cádiz, where much of the battered Spanish squadron had sought shelter. The First Sea Lord thought that the ease of Jervis' victory over José de Córdoba guaranteed a successful attack on that southern harbour. Events proved otherwise. Combatants Great Britain Spain Commanders John Jervis José de Córdoba Strength 15 ships of the line 24 ships of the line Casualties 73 dead 327 wounded Four ships captured 250 dead 550 wounded The naval Battle of Cape St Vincent took place on 14 February 1797, near Cape St. ... The Spanish Navy (in Spanish, Armada Española) is the maritime arm of the Spanish Military. ... Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. ... John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent (1735-1823) was an admiral in the British Royal Navy. ... Location  - Region  - Subregion  - District or A.R.   Lisbon Grande Lisboa Lisbon Mayor  - Party Carmona Rodrigues PSD Area 84. ... The Spanish ship Santísima Trinidad (officially named Santisima Trinidad y Nuestra Señora del Buen Fin) was a first-rate ship of the line of 120 guns (when first built). ... For the international law of the sea, see Admiralty law. ... A blockade is any effort to prevent supplies, troops, information or aid from reaching an opposing force. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Tacita de plata (little silver cup) Location Location within Spain Government Province Cádiz Mayor Teófila Martínez (PP) Geographical characteristics Area     City 12. ... The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the British Royal Navy. ...

Jervis' ships besieged Cádiz but were repelled by unexpected Spanish resistance. The Spaniards, under General Mazzaredo, organized a flotilla of small gunboats converted from yachts. With a clear advantage in the harbour's shallow waters, these vessels maneouvred in the darkness and savaged Jervis' heavy ships of the line, striking at their vulnerable areas with impunity. Coastal batteries opened fire, joined by Spanish warships anchored at harbour, and drove the attackers back, causing the British to lose grip over the blockade and allowing several merchant convoys to slip in and out of the port. A gunboat is literally a boat carrying one or more guns. ... A modern yacht A yacht (From Dutch Jacht meaning hunt(er)) was originally defined as a light, fast sailing vessel used to convey important persons. ... A convoy is a group of vehicles or ships traveling together for mutual support. ...

An air of mutiny spread over the British crews as their long stay at sea stretched on without results. In April Jervis shifted his gaze to Tenerife upon hearing that Spanish convoys from America arrived regularly at that island. The admiral sent two reconnoitering frigates which surprised and caught two French and Spanish vessels in a nighttime raid. Encouraged by this success, Jervis dispatched a small squadron under recently-promoted Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson with the aim of seizing Santa Cruz by means of an amphibious attack. Mutiny is the crime of conspiring to disobey an order that a group of similarly-situated individuals (typically members of the military; or the crew of any ship, even if they are civilians) is legally obliged to obey. ... World map showing the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World consisting of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... Frigate is a name which has been used for several distinct types of warships at different times. ... The term Rear Admiral originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons, and can trace its origins to the British Royal Navy. ... This article is about a military strategy involving land troops dispatched from naval ships. ...

Execution

On July 14 Nelson sailed for the Canaries aboard his flagship HMS Theseus, (Captain Miller), leading a squadron composed of HMS Culloden (Captain Troubridge), Zealous (Captain Hood), all 74-gun ships; and the frigates Seahorse (38), commanded by Captain Freemantle, Emerald (36) led by Captain Waller, and Terpsichore (32) under Captain Bowen; as well as a cutter, Fox, under Lieutenant Gibson and a gunboat, Ray, under Lieutenant Crompton. HMS Leander (50), under Captain Thompson, joined the flotilla once the attack had started. The expedition counted 400 guns and nearly 4,000 men. They arrived in the vicinity of Santa Cruz on July 17. HMS Theseus was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. ... This article concerns the rank and title of Captain. ... HMS CULLODEN Frigate, British Royal Navy, Built 1776. ... Lieutenant is a military, paramilitary, fire service or police officer rank. ...

At Santa Cruz, Lieutenant General Antonio Gutiérrez, a two-time victor over the British, had hastened to prepare a defence following the British raid in April. Forts were rebuilt, field works expanded, and the batteries enlarged by doubling their gun rows to 91, with earth sacks piled around. From the city's soldiers, partisans, local hunters, militia, artillery, and sailors from the captured French frigate, Gutiérrez scraped together a force of 1,700 men. Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ...

British plans

Sir Horatio Nelson when wounded at Teneriffe by Richard Westall. Oil on canvas.

Nelson's plan called for a nightime landing under Troubridge: The frigates of the fleet would approach the shore in stealth and disembark the troops with a view to falling on the Spanish batteries north east of the harbour. Ray was then to open mortar fire on the city. Nelson's ships of the line would enter the harbour at break of dawn and seize the Spanish merchant ships and their cargo. A note sent by Nelson to the Spanish authorities demanded the surrender of all Spanish cargo and threatened the destruction of the city. Richard Westall (2 January 1765 – 4 December 1836) was an English painter. ...

On the 20th, Troubridge went aboard Theseus to sharpen the last details of his duties. His manoeuvre was conceived in two stages. The first called for a landing at Valle Seco beach, some two miles west of Santa Cruz harbour, from where the troops would surround and capture Fort Paso Alto. If the city had not surrendered at this point, a force of 1,000 infantry would march on the port and launch the definite attack. Each ship of the line provided 200 men and each frigate 100, supported by 80 artillerymen.

The Battle

The plan began the next evening. In the clearness of the summer Canary night, citizens realised blurry figures sailing forward into the pier: the British boats, carrying the troops, were on their way. They were two groups: one of 23 boats and launches heading for the Bufadero cliff; the other, 16, coming right into the city. Authorities were updated as adverse streams held the English back. No marine bombardment was likely as ships could not get any closer and even though frigates could, the latter ported naval cannons of straight fire that could not reach the city. The British had just one curve shot mortar which could inflict little damage. They had no howitzer and carronades were of no use in this situation. Spanish cannons began firing heavily on the boats, wrecking some of them. The currents were too strong and the British decided to go back to the ships.

In a second attempt, frigates were tugged by the boats close to the Bufadero, where they anchored. Despite the Paso Alto castle shooting, the contrary streams and the lack of animals to carry the artillery, 1.000 British soldiers stepped on Valle Seco beach with some warfare material. In the middle of the night, some of the boats did not reach the beach and ended up strewn around, as no British officer knew the location.

Along the 23rd a heavy cannonade and musketry took place. Gutiérrez managed to recruit more effectives and station them in the castle, as well as moved the forces from the Sta. Cruz fortress, now unnecessary, on to Paso Alto. The British, who lost two men, were harassed and troubled. Nelson, from the Theseus, called the troops back. Once on board, the three frigates slipped before the Candelaria beach and the Barranco Hondo, firing into the cliffs, intending to frighten and silence the defenders. Once rejected in Valle Seco, Gutiérrez guessed Nelson's next move and brought most of the artillerymen in the port batteries, leaving just 30 militia men in Paso Alto. The British could not see the Spanish troops trips from one place to another, so they deemed the Spanish force larger than they actually were.

Nelson was between a rock and a hard place. Enraged by the failure of the first stage of his plan, he called his captains on board Theseus and explained how he himself would lead the next move ahead of a boat group followed by 5 more led by captains Troubrige, Miller, Hood, Waller and Thompson straight to the San Cristóbal castle, in Sta. Cruz harbour, where Gutiérrez had by now assembled his best trained fighters.

In order to reduce the noise, cloth-padded rows propelled the boats at 10.30 p.m. on July 24 from around the Zealous into the harbour. Spanish frigate San José, anchored 500 metres away from the pier, fired an alarm shot when sailors on board heard that the disembark troops were getting closer. Troubled waters were against the British, who amounted 700 in the boats, supported by 180 in cutter Fox and 80 in a Canary sloop taken earlier. Apart from the San Cristóbal castle, which had been pierced open in order to place a low huge 24 pound cannon, general Gutiérrez had split his force in four strategic points: Pila square, Santos stream, Carnicerías beach and Santo Domingo monastery.

At around 23 h. a rain of cannon ball and musket bullet from the batteries of Paso Alto, San Miguel, San Antonio and San Pedro fell on the approaching British who saw some of their ammunition dampened by the waves. Several shots reached the cutter hull. Some of the boats reached the beaches and marines managed to stick a couple of cannons, yet others drifted away. Spanish mortars and cannons focused on the successful sailors and swept them away. Tens of British ripped soldiers were left scattered on the beach. An immense line of fire, ranged from Paso Alto to San Telmo castle, vomited iron on the small vessels. Before midnight cutter Fox was shot dramatically by crossed fire from the heights and sunk and more than half her crew drowned.

The cannon el Tigre, howling from the hole opened in San Cristóbal castle, hit Nelson's boat and tore off the rear-admiral right arm. Captain Bowen was killed on board his boat, which was reduced to a piece of shattered wood. Those soldiers who succeeded in reaching the beach were bullet riddled also from house terraces and windows. Citizenship was closely involved in repelling the attack to the point that, after the victory, some were given honours and medals.

Nelson was bleeding copiously and step-son lieutenant Nisbet cut a piece of his own neck handkerchief and tied it tightly around Nelson's arm to stop the bloodshed. The admiral refused to use frigate Seahorse, that was stationed close, to be taken back to his flagship, as it would imply captain Fremantle would have to hoist an SOS flag and demoralise the crews. Instead, the sailors of his boat rowed hard back to the Theseus. The surgeon had been warned of the contingency and he got his instruments ready. Nelson was cited saying as he pointed to his right arm “hey doc, I want to get rid of this useless piece of flesh here”. Nelson's operation was quick and aseptic. The limb was thrown over board, despite the admiral's wish to keep it.

The batteries increased the cannonade when they noticed that almost half thousand British soldiers managed to tread on the Carnicerías beach and were attempting to slip into the city. Captains Troubridge and Hood, leading 350 men, accomplished the taking of La Consolación convent. However, the rest of the troops were defeated when they tried to jump into the San Cristóbal fortress from behind. Troubridge was aware of his desperate situation with no support from ships or more effectives coming to his aid, but he was still in the mood of joking. An envoy handed Gutierrez a letter from the captain where the Troubridge demanded the surrender of the Spaniards. Gutiérrez, a veteran in fighting British braggarts, returned the mailman answering Troubridge should stop drinking in these situations. In the meantime, the Spanish general ordered the fire on the besieged British to be increased meanwhile he brought more artillerymen to the batteries closer to La Consolación.

The rest of the British forces achieved disembarkation in Las Carnicerías and proceeded through the Santos cliff. Despite the heave fire from the Spanish fortresses, these men succeeded in joining Troubridge after being bottled in Sto. Domingo square.

Gutiérrez had the Canarias battalion blockade the pier so that Troubridge could not make any escape back or any support come in. Two columns headed for the harbour, one behind the Sto. Domingo square in order to hinder the British advance inside the city and the other along the coast. In the morning, convalescent Nelson attempted to reinforce Troubridge by sending 15 boats into the pier. At around 1.00 am, a roaring fire flew over the small squadron. Three of them were sunk with more than 30 drowned, the rest rowed back shocked.

At this time, alcohol had absolutely drained Troubridge's brain. The arrogant captain sent another message to Gutiérrez through captain Hood, who showed up before the Spanish general with clear symptoms of delirium tremens. The post said that the British would take consideration of the poor Spanish people once the Spanish arms had surrendered to His Majesty soldiers. Gutiérrez, seeing that Troubridge was out of his mind, offered a doctor had Troubridge's head checked and, if necessary, further treatment at a local hospital. When soberness and judgement finally came down to the British officers, they accepted what was inevitable from the beginning and signed their surrender before the Spanish authorities.

Nelson agreed to take notice of the Spanish victory back to the peninsula and frigate Emeral entered Cádiz in late July. When Jervis learned about the fiasco he got mad at Nelson and his men as Jervis expected the mission to be accomplished. Jervis estimated the Spanish port cities such as Cádiz or Sta. Cruz to be like the Spanish ships of the line that had been beaten hard back in February in a naval battle. Haughtiness and lack of proper material and human resources for an invasion led the British fleet sent against Tenerife to a painful defeat and they never tried to capture any Spanish city again.

Conclusion

The Spanish suffered only 30 dead and 40 injured, while the British lost 250 dead and 128 wounded. The journey back to England was difficult as the British had lost many men and some sails. Gutiérrez supported embarkation by means of two Spanish schooners. The Spanish general also allowed the British to leave with their arms and war honours when, in fact, the weapons were by right of capture his property and the men prisoners of war. Courteous letters were exchanged between Nelson and Gutiérrez as a result of these acts of chivalry. Nelson would later remark that Tenerife was the most horrible Jell he had ever endured, and not only because he had lost his arm.