Action_of_26_May_1789
The action of 26 May 1789 was a minor naval engagement fought off Algiers, Mediterranean Sea, in which a small Portuguese division, commanded by coronel do mar José de Melo Breyner, spotted an Algerian xebec accompanied by a captured French ship, the Le Désir, of which he was forced to abandon and flee, pursued by the Portuguese brigantine Lebre.
| Action of 26 May 1789 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Portugal |
 Algiers | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
José Breyner |
Unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
1 ship of the line 1 frigate 1 brigantine |
1 xebec 2 galleys 4 launches 1 captured ship | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | 1 captured ship lost | ||||||
The Strait Squadron was a squadron which almost annually was sent by the Portuguese Navy to patrol the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea, organized in 1520 by King Manuel I of Portugal, escorting and protecting Portuguese and allied ships in the region from enemies, especially Barbary pirates.
On 18 April 1789, the Strait Squadron, commanded by coronel do mar José de Melo Breyner, departed from Lisbon, it was constituted by one ship of the line, two frigates, two brigantines and one cutter.[1][2][3] Those were:[2][3]
| Name | Type | Guns | Commander |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nossa Senhora da Conceição | Ship of the line (Flagship) | 90 guns | Capitão de mar e guerra Joaquim José dos Santos, carried coronel do mar José de Melo Breyner |
| Nossa Senhora da Vitória | Frigate | 48 guns | Capitão de mar e guerra Manuel da Cunha Souto Maior |
| Nossa Senhora da Graça | Frigate | 46 guns | Capitão de mar e guerra Paulo José da Silva da Gama |
| Galgo | Brigantine | 20 guns | Capitão-tenente Herculano José de Barros |
| Lebre | Brigantine | 24 guns | Capitão-tenente Daniel Thompson |
| Coroa | Cutter | 20 guns | Capitão-tenente Mateus Pereira de Campos |
In May,[1] or in the beginning of June,[2] a division of the Strait Squadron, constituted by the ship of the line Nossa Senhora da Conceição, of 90 guns, by one of the frigates and by the brigantine Lebre, of 24 guns, went to cross to the vicinity of Algiers.[1][2]
Shortly afterwards, they found an Algerian xebec of 26 guns who returned to the base accompanied by a French ship, the Le Désir, which he had seized.[1][2][4] Immediately attacked by the Portuguese ships, he was forced to let go of his prey and flee to Algiers pursued by the Lebre.[1][2] The Algerian xebec took refuge along the coast under the shelter of the fortresses.[2] After a few hours of exchanging fire, with no possibility of approaching the xebec, given the shallow water depth in the area and the arrival of two galleys and four launches from Algiers, the Portuguese ended up withdrawing.[2]
The French ship was sent to Lisbon, under the escort of the Lebre,[2] and then handed over to the consul of France.[1] He entered Lisbon on 15[4] (or 19) June, and left it again on 24 June, towards the Strait of Gibraltar.[2][4]
Citations
- Monteiro 1996, p. 210.
- Salgado 2022, p. 172.
- Soares 1863, p. 477.
- Soares 1863, p. 478.
Bibliography
- Soares, Joaquim Pedro Celestino (1863). Quadros Navais ou Coleção dos Folhetins Marítimos do Patriota Seguidos de uma Epopeia Naval Portuguesa (in Portuguese). Lisbon: Imprensa Nacional.
- Monteiro, Armando da Silva Saturnino (1996). Batalhas e Combates da Marinha Portuguesa (1669-1807) (PDF) (in Portuguese). Lisbon: Livraria Sá da Costa Editora.
- Salgado, Augusto Alves (2022). Viagens e Operações Navais (1668-1823) (PDF) (in Portuguese). Lisbon: Academia de Marinha.